fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery

[cncrsrgry]

Does anyone have any experience with this program offered by the ACS and SAGES? (FLS or fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery)

More specifically, is the laparoscopic trainer box a good tool for honing your skills and is it worth $1800?

Thanks.

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[JackADeli]

Does anyone have any experience with this program offered by the ACS and SAGES? (FLS or fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery)

More specifically, is the laparoscopic trainer box a good tool for honing your skills and is it worth $1800?

Thanks.

I will give this one a try. I am not as up to date on all the ins & out of requirements to be eligible for the ABS boards, but....
1. I believe FLS is now a required component for eligibility...
http://home.absurgery.org/default.jsp?news_newreqs
2. I completed the program about 3 years ago and it really is fairly straightforward.
3. You should not need to be purchasing the "box" if you are in an accredited residency.

http://www.flsprogram.org/
http://www.flsprogram.org/brochure.php

JAD

 

[Dr. V]

JAD is right. I completed the course (at least the on line part, still trying to figgure out the best way to do the hands on part).

It's long, but covers just the very basics.

Not a bad course at all.

Yes it is required now to be eligible to sit for the boards (not sure if the Chiefs have to have it this year but I am pretty sure we DO have to have it to be eligible next year in my class).

 

[JackADeli]

...Yes it is required now to be eligible to sit for the boards (not sure if the Chiefs have to have it this year but I am pretty sure we DO have to have it to be eligible next year in my class).

I found this:http://home.absurgery.org/default.jsp?news_newreqs

...The new requirements will take effect as of July 1, 2009, and will apply to applicants for certification who complete their general surgery residency in the 2009-2010 academic year or thereafter...

 

[butterfly0660]

Ethicon donated those $1800 lap trainers to all the PGY 1 and 2's in my program last year. It is kinda cool to have at home, but I DEFINITELY would not have bought one. It is way less realistic than the lap simulators we have at our hospital's MIS lab. It may be helpful for someone just starting out and trying to learn how to use the instruments, etc but not for anyone who has ever done more than a couple of lap cases.

 

[dpmd]

I am in the process of going through the online modules, and besides wondering about the typos and bugs in the program a thought occurred to me.

Why is this required, when there is no equivalent course-fundamentals of open surgery?

Maybe I am just crabby because I forgot to do it earlier and since my program's deadline is in just a few days, I am doing the modules instead of relaxing. It just seems like there hasn't been anything in the modules that I haven't already picked up from being in residency and assisting with/doing cases (I'm not done though, maybe it gets better?).

 

[JackADeli]

...Why is this required, when there is no equivalent course-fundamentals of open surgery?...

Just a few thoughts. ABS is really pushing towards a greater implementation of "simulation" in training. You will spend 5 years doing a good deal of open cases to include whipples, colons, tramas, etc.... Hopefully with your reading and "mentored" participation you will get what you need from "open" perspective.... Also, ABS is looking for simulation centers.... you can pretty much obtaine pig guts to hearts and have some practice on bowel to vasc anastamosis.

So, in lap cases, in theory, only one person can safely hold the lap instrument at a time. Furthermore, you loose the "haptics". Your attending/assistant maybe on the oposite side of the table. You may need to operate with backwards & upside down image and then quickly convert to normal camera view.... Thus, the belief in simulation to help get you over the learning curve.

...I am doing the modules instead of relaxing. It just seems like there hasn't been anything in the modules that I haven't already picked up from being in residency and assisting with/doing cases (I'm not done though, maybe it gets better?).

Unfortunately, that is not the case for everyone. Why do you think so many are jumping to MIS fellowships? Yes, some do it for a diploma to help limit their scope of practice. Some do it for a diploma to help gain "credentials" at a hospital. Truth is, a MIS fellowship, other then getting a diploma is most useful to remediate those whose residency program was not so progressive in the arena of MIS. During my GSurgery, I was DOING lap gastric bypasses halfway through my PGY2 year. I was DOING lap adrenals, hiatal hernias, Nissens, ventral hernias (with seperation of components), renal harvests, colon resections... all routinely by my PGY3/4 yrs. An MIS fellowship would have just been a waste of a year for me.... and extra trauma call and warm body for the "program". So, back to my original statement, it sounds like you are being properly trained in the MIS basic science components. Hopefully, you are also being trained in the technical....

JAD