Professors Dong Hwi Kim and Young Lae Moon of the Chosun University Hospital, South Korea, organized a simulation workshop for resident and fellow orthopedic surgeons. VirtaMed’s Beat Rechsteiner and Candice Cuvelier accompanied an ArthroS™ with Knee, Shoulder and FAST modules.
The course began with a warm up of the Fundamental Arthroscopy Skills Training (FAST), practicing precise use of an arthroscope with a 30 degree optic for image centering, telescoping and periscoping. Just like a sportsperson warms up before a game, these surgeons had the opportunity to be guided through a set of cases designed to get their fine motor skills ready for action.
Professor Young Lae Moon, who was also the 2017-2018 President of the Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society, led the shoulder arthroscopy workshop, with students discussing different techniques in the risk-free training environment. Without the pressure of the operating room environment, everyone could take the time to share knowledge and best practices.
Professor Moon is “convinced that the simulator is not only useful for teaching trainees, but also should be mandatory for improving endoscopic skills even in experts.”
Professor Dong Hwi Kim, Chosun University Medical School Graduate Student Director, led an advanced session with fellows on the concepts on ACL reconstruction, also benefiting from the time to discuss different approaches and best practices. Residents also trained on the knee, including diagnostic tours and loose body removal.
Professor Kim said he found the simulation session “a good opportunity for beginners who learn arthroscopic surgery to learn the feeling of using the instruments without the tension and stress of the surgical field.”
After a full day with the ArthroS™, it was clear that there is much more potential for the simulator to facilitate the training of both novice and advanced orthopedic graduate students, particularly with the ability to reflect on different techniques without the risk and pressure of the operating room.
“Training is a serious activity because surgery is a serious discipline,” stated Candice Cuvelier, Training and Education Manager at VirtaMed. “I appreciated that students were able to freely discuss among themselves and experiment with different techniques, and providing this risk-free environment which can be reset time and time again is what the simulator is designed for.”
Beat Rechsteiner, Senior Director International Business at VirtaMed, commented, “it was a real honor to be part of this course and invited by these distinguished experts. I look forward to more opportunities for this international collaboration to benefit graduate student training.”
