The Surgical Skills Lab, located on the third floor of Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, is a cornerstone of hands-on training in our General Surgery Residency program. Our lab is the only American College of Surgeons (ACS) focused-level Accredited Education Institute (AEI) in the state and supports the progressive technical development of residents at all levels.

Skills lab sessions are typically on Thursday afternoons. While PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents are the primary participants, advanced-level labs tailored for PGY-3 to PGY-5 residents are also scheduled regularly.

Each session includes:

• • Pre-lab goals and objectives distributed to participants
  • Post-lab evaluations and debriefings by both residents and instructors

• Continuous refinement of content to meet educational needs and maintain compliance with ACS accreditation standards as a Focused-Level Accredited Education Institute (AEI)

The lab is accessible to residents 24-hours a day and features advanced simulation tools that support a wide range of skill-building activities:

• DaVinci Robotic surgery trainer offers residents unlimited access to build proficiency in robotic surgery and refine their robotic skills.
• GI MENTOR Simulator allows residents to practice both upper and lower endoscopy in preparation for FES testing.
• LAP MENTOR Simulator provides advanced suturing exercises and simulated procedures such as: cholecystectomy, Sigmoid colon resection, and Nissen Fundoplication.
• ATLAS (Advanced Training in Laparoscopic Suturing) is a challenging station designed to push upper-level residents to further refine laparoscopic suturing skills.
• Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) Trainers are used to prepare residents for FLS testing and enhance laparoscopic skills.
• Central Line Man is used for teaching and practicing central venous access techniques.

Certification Training

The Skills Lab supports on-site training and testing for two American Board of Surgery (ABS) required certifications:

• Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS):
  Includes written and manual skills exams; the manual skills component is proctored remotely in the lab.
• Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES):
  Residents complete written exams and use the GI MENTOR simulator to meet testing requirements provided by SAGES.

Teaching & Outreach

The lab also plays a key role in the surgical education of medical students at all levels:

• MS-4 Boot Camp is a focused preparation course for students entering surgery or surgical specialties.
• MS-3 students on their Surgical Clerkship receive an introduction to the Surgical Skills Lab during week 1 where they practice fundamental surgical techniques and procedures.
• Surgical Interest Group (SIG) sessions provide first- and second-year medical students with early exposure to surgical skills and hands-on experience in the lab, fostering their interest in surgery before clerkships begin.