title: Advanced surgical trauma care training with a live porcine model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the benefit of a compulsory operative trauma care course for general surgeons in Norway utilising a live porcine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants rated their expertise in 23 situations pre- and post-session on a scale 1-5, where 1 meant "not competent" and 5 meant "fully competent".
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean total score increased 43% from pre- to post-session. The increase reached significance with all levels of experience. Procedures rarely performed, like suturing on a beating heart, showed a greater educational benefit than more frequently performed procedures, like inserting a chest tube.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The operative trauma care animal session increased the participants' perceived competence significantly. Its use seems justified for education in trauma related lifesaving surgical procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Ullevaal University Hospital, Kirkeveien 166, 0407 Oslo, Norway. tinagaar@online.no
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaarder
authors.forename: Paal A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Naess
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buanes
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pillgram-Larsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000193:education*; D013552:Swine; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000601:surgery*