Uniformed Services University Surgical Skills Lab Prepares Future Military Docs with Vital Techniques

Hands-on Training in Core Surgical, Aseptic Skills Builds Confidence and Readiness for the Clinical Phase of Education

January 7, 2024 by Sharon Holland

The Transition to Clerkships week at the Uniformed Services University (USU) represents a pivotal milestone for second-year medical students as they prepare to embark on the clinical phase of their education. A highlight of this critical week is the Surgical Skills Lab, an immersive two-day training event designed to equip students with fundamental surgical techniques and aseptic practices essential for their future roles as military physicians.

The Surgical Skills Lab is a rigorous, hands-on experience tailored to introduce students to the essential skills they will need during their clerkship year and beyond. Originally conceived during USU's Curriculum Reform era by Dr. Matt Ritter, then the Surgery Clerkship director, the lab was established to ensure students were well-prepared for the demands of the Surgery rotation. Over the years, the program has evolved while maintaining its core structure, consistently earning high praise as one of the most impactful components of Transition to Clerkships week.

Each year, the entire second-year class-including this year's Class of 2027-participates in the lab. Over two full days, students rotate in four groups (so each group gets a half day of instruction) through a structured curriculum, working in small groups to practice tying surgical knots, performing basic wound closures, and mastering suturing techniques. Beyond these foundational skills, they rotate through additional stations to learn critical procedures such as scrubbing, gowning, and gloving; performing Foley catheter placements on male and female models; and preparing and maintaining a sterile field. The lab is entirely hands-on, with students receiving personalized instruction and coaching from experienced surgical faculty and residents from specialties including general surgery, obstetrics and gynecologic surgery, urology, plastic surgery, and transplant surgery.

A key focus of the lab is aseptic technique-a skill vital not only in the operating room but across all medical disciplines. Whether closing a laceration in an emergency room, performing a lumbar puncture in pediatrics, or conducting a paracentesis in internal medicine, military physicians depend on these practices to ensure patient safety and procedural success.

The impact of the Surgical Skills Lab is evident in student feedback. An impressive 96.43% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the lab increased their confidence in their surgical skills. One student described it as "probably one of my favorite things I've done in medical school so far," emphasizing the approachable yet thorough instruction from faculty. Notably, the Surgical Skills Lab was the only event during Transition to Clerkships week to receive a 100% "very effective" rating from the students-highlighting its value to the class.

"We are very gratified that this lab is so well-received," says Dr. Annesley Copeland, the Core Surgery Clerkship director at USU, "and our students, and ultimately our patients, will reap the benefits of this instruction."