Nice comment, it summarizes the last posts here!!

What experiences you have, eh?

I agree with your opinion in the last paragraph, but I also think that you can combine the REAL surgery (real patients) and the “SimSurgery” fulfilled with technology. The main problem is to regulate the training hours of surgeons to-be.

We need to remember: “Practice makes perfect”

Thank you for your comment and I hope to see you around here soon

When I started training, neither ultrasound nor CT scan were used much or at all. We did peritoneal lavage for many traumas: the results were considered negative if you could read newsprint through the color in the tubing. As an intern, I poked a hole in bowel before I figured out the technique. Fortunately, the patient needed exploration despite the injury, and it was discovered with no sequellae.

I had one case of gallstone ileus. Of course, the cholecystectomy was much more difficult than taking care of the obstruction. In my case, I did both together, because the patient was in pretty good shape.

I think the technology which is allowing more and more “real life” scenarios to be worked on in a lab setting is very exciting. Even more so as, in the US, hours are regulated and experience on live patients will therefore be less available to the younger trainees.