Realising Ideal Home Practice Models for Surgical Skill Development

Author(s): David O’Regan

Objective: The development of proficient skills in surgical education is essential. This paper realises ideal home practice models for enhancing surgical skills, stitching and dissection, emphasizing that these low fidelity models are realistic, cost-effective, accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable. The discussion is supported by a review of the literature, insights from courses, and anecdotal experiences.

Design: We investigated models for surgical training utilizing CT scans to identify their advantages such as haptic and real time feedback as well as practical application.

Results: Synthetic material does not compare to human tissue in the CT scanner. The banana and tangerine compare favourably to human tissue and offer real time haptics and feedback.

Conclusion: Organic models provide a cost-effective and sustainable option for home-based surgical practice.