Competency in general surgical training

Abstract

Surgical training has challenges, including the need to equip surgeons for future growth, which is underpinned by their training. This thesis systematically examines the application and implications of a competency-based training framework to the traditional master apprentice-based model for surgical education and training in Australia and elsewhere.

With significant technological advances and the implementation of advanced minimally invasive techniques such as robotic surgery, the validation of competency-based training as a foundation is tested. The objectives of this thesis, which are based on the implications of this training programme on the future growth capacity and evolution of the profession, are of the utmost importance.

This thesis aims to review surgical education and training and the need to adopt a new competency-based model, assess the impact of these core competencies, and apply the concepts of deliberative practice, feedback and reflections to surgical education and training.

The recognition that surgical proficiency develops along a continuum has led to the widespread adoption of lifelong learning principles in surgery, where surgeons are encouraged to assess and update their skills throughout their careers regularly. This model of ongoing education, combined with a structured approach to initial training, ensures that surgeons can perform complex procedures safely and effectively, even as new technologies and techniques emerge. The shift from a time-based model of surgical training to a competency-based one represents a significant advancement in the quality and consistency of surgical education, helping to ensure that all surgeons meet high standards of patient care.