Impacting surgical training: Role of surgical anatomy dissection courses

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Human anatomy is one of the fundamental pillars of basic medical sciences,
which forms the cornerstone of the ever-evolving medical practice. It is, therefore, important to
strengthen anatomy education at all stages of medical training. Since 2020, the Department of
Human Anatomy, in collaboration with the Department of Surgery, organized surgical anatomy
dissection courses to improve surgical practice safety and competence. This educational study
aimed to share lessons learned from organizing anatomy dissection courses and measure the
impact on knowledge and skills acquisition by surgical trainees.
METHODS: Courses were designed with clear learning objectives and programs. A pre-test was
administered to trainees before the dissection course, and a post-test was organized at the end of
the course. Descriptive statistics were used to compare pre- and post-test scores. A p-value less
than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The Likert scale was used to measure trainees’
satisfaction at the end of every course.
RESULTS: From August 2020 to December 2021, 11 cadaveric dissection courses were organized,
and 173 trainees from 6 Surgical Residency programs: Plastic surgery, General surgery, Orthopedic
surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, ENT, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Nineteen trainers from the
Surgery Department and Anatomy Department were involved.
There was a significant improvement in marks in the post-test test as compared to the pre-test
score. The average increase in the mark was 26.4% with a 95% CI [23-0 – 29.7], p-value < 0.001.
There was a negative correlation (r=-0.8948, p-value < 0.001) between the marks at pre-test and
the improvement score, suggesting that the lowest performers on the pre-test had the biggest
post-test improvement.
Trainees’ satisfaction was at a high level. 87.6% of trainees reported a desire to pursue training to
become anatomy educators in the future.
CONCLUSION: Surgical anatomy dissection courses positively impacted surgical knowledge and
skills acquisition, integrating anatomy into surgical training. Cadaver-based surgical procedures
simulation should be encouraged and integrated into surgical curricula.