Military surgeons develop framework to sustain surgical skills

Editor's Note

In a new study, military surgeons are proposing a new education and training paradigm that will benefit them and their patients in both military and civilian practice environments, the American College of Surgeons reports.

Military surgeons face a unique challenge in that they serve as a “jack-of-all trades” when deployed, but are expected to compete with the standards of civilian surgical care when they return home. Civilian surgical care has become highly specialized and dependent on minimally invasive technology.

The research team has identified three levels of surgical education and skills training for military surgeons to participate in to sustain surgical skills:

• Core surgical competence
• Basic and advanced medical combat readiness skills
• Mission specific medical readiness skills.

New education and training paradigm proposed to help deployed military surgeons enhance the level of care they provide to wounded soldiers and keep their surgical skills competitive upon returning to a non-combat practice setting NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHICAGO (May 12, 2016): Military surgeons face a unique challenge in that they serve as a "jack-of-all-trades" in an austere environment while deployed, only to return home to the expectation that they will compete with the standards of civilian surgical care, which has become increasingly subspecialized and highly dependent on minimally invasive technology.