Microsurgical training for students: presentation of a model and preliminary results

Microsurgery is a form of surgery performed with the assistance of a magnifying device such as a microscope or loupe. It is not considered a distinct specialty but a competency required for different surgical specialties. The study presents an undergraduate training model designed in the authors’ institution and is directed towards medical students in their clinical years. It consists of 30 practical learning hours of how to conduct various microsurgical procedures. These took place during 15 three-hour classes (2 h under the microscope per lesson), held once a week. The simulation model used in this training was a chicken thigh and instrumentation consisted of surgical training microscopes and professional microinstruments. Effectiveness of the training was assessed through the observation of acquired skills and the so called “6-stiches test”. Other simulation models used in microsurgical training and other methods of evaluating the acquired proficiency were discussed. The results show that the proposed 30 h of undergraduate, facultative microsurgical training is effective in ensuring participating students acquire basic and advanced microsurgical skills, competence and confidence. The curriculum was designed to allow students to participate in training during the evening, away from other duties, so as not to burden them too much.