Research Supervisors:
Mr Daren Subar, HPB Consultant, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Prof Justin Clark, Consultant Gynaecologist, Birmingham, President of BSGE
Dr Chris Gaffney, Lecturer in integrative physiology, Lancaster university
Dr Elizabeth Haslett, Head of School for Obstetrics & Gynaecology, North West Health Education
Miss Carolina Afors, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecology, Whittington hospital
Research Investigators:
Zaibun khan ST4 O&G, North West Deanery
Mrs Donna Shrestha, ST6 General Surgery, North West Deanery
Mr Abdulwarith Shugaba, Research fellow, Royal Blackburn Hospital
Take Part
Phase 1 (OPEN) : Take part in our TRAINEE SURVEY and CONSULTANT SURVEY
Phase 2 (OPEN) : Recruitment to study
Study Aim: To compare and evaluate the training programmes in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) and General Surgery (GS) in order to identify areas for improvement in the training pathway contributing to the acquisition of Fundamental Laparoscopic Skills (FLS) in both specialties.
Background
Psychomotor skills required to gain proficiency in laparoscopic surgery are difficult to acquire and trainees wishing to become laparoscopic surgeons face a steep learning curve. In both specialties, obtaining adequate exposure to operative work is a multifaceted challenge for the trainees as well as those involved in designing and delivering surgical training
Whilst the requirements for CCT for general operative skills in open and laparoscopic surgery are comparable in both O&G and GS, the training pathways defer significantly. GS training is 8 years in duration (CT1,CT2, ST3-ST8), whereas O&G consists of 7 years of specialty training (ST1–ST7). The ST1-ST5 years in O&G are mainly devoted to obstetrics and only those trainees pursuing a gynaecological training pathway undertake an intensive period of surgical training in the last two years of their training. We believe there is also earlier exposure to laparoscopy in GS training with a greater volume of laparoscopic work in comparison to O&G training
Objectives
1) To compare FLS in GS and O&G trainees at ST3/4 and those in their final 2 years [ST7/8(GS) and ST6/7 (O&G)]
2) To compare the musculoskeletal and cognitive fatigue experienced by GS and O&G trainees in performing FLS as a marker of their competence.
3) To compare the standards of laparoscopic ability expected by experienced GS and O&G consultants of trainees.
Take Part
Phase 1 (OPEN)
For Consultants in O&G and GS (including colorectal, HPB and Upper GI) and Specialty Trainees
We have designed a national survey to explore the views of consultants and trainees on the laparoscopic skills expected of trainees in O&G and GS at CCT. It will also ascertain the confidence of trainees in various fundamental laparoscopic skills in their stage of training.
Each survey will take no longer than 2 minutes.
Phase 2 (OPEN)
This phase will consist of a session to assess trainees ability to conduct laparoscopic tasks designed to assess fundamental laparoscopic skills. These tasks involve navigating a laparoscopic camera, handling laparoscopic instruments, co-ordinating movements and placing sutures and knots in a laparoscopic simulator. During these tasks a small number of trainees will be requested to wear electrodes over their head and arms/neck which will measure brain and muscle fatigue. We are using this information as a marker of how much exposure a trainee may had to laparoscopic surgery.