SURGICAL SKILLS LAB
Thomas Collins, MD, Program Director
Billie Ruden, MA, Program Assistant
E-mail: billie-ruden@uiowa.edu
TEL: 319/467-5302
FAX: 319/356-8378
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
- The Department of Surgery at the University of Iowa College of Medicine established a Surgical Skills Lab in June of 2008. It is now an ACGME requirement for surgical residency programs to have access to a Surgical Skills Lab.
- A Surgical Skills Lab has been shown to improve patient safety as residents learn initially on modules and simulators. Residents are able to practice their skills in-between cases and perfect any areas that need improvement without compromising the integrity of the patient.
- The Surgical Skills Lab is accessible to all Surgical residents and other participating services on a 24/7 basis.
- The Surgical Skills Lab provides a variety of different learning opportunities including:
- Organized didactic training partnered with a skills module led by faculty
- Individual modules for further personal training
- Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) training and certification
- Resident Education Research Opportunities
- Surgical Skills Lab Training Modules
- Surgery Boot Camp
- Suture Session (wet lab)
- Central Line Placement
- Emergency Airway (wet lab)
- Wound Excision/Skin Flaps–Abdominal Wall (wet lab)
- Laporatomy
- Vascular Anastomosis
- Colonoscopy Insertion and Withdrawal
- Upper Endoscopy
- MIST (Minimally Invasive Surgical Training)
- Chest Tube Placement (wet lab)
