title: Do we need animal hands-on courses for transplantation surgery?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transplantation surgery requires many years of training. This study evaluates and presents the results of our recent four-yr animal hands-on courses of transplantation surgery on participants' training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since 2008, five two-d hands-on courses of transplantation surgery were performed on swine models at our department. Sixty-one participants were asked to answer three questionnaires (pre-course, immediate post-course, subsequent post-course). The questions pertained to their past education, expectations, and evaluation of our courses, as well as our course's effectiveness in advancing their surgical abilities. The results were analyzed, compared and are presented herein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, 1.8 multiorgan procurements, 2.3 kidney, 1.5 liver, and 0.7 pancreas transplantations were performed by each participant. 41.7% of participants considered their previous practical training only satisfactory; 85% hoped for more opportunities to practice surgery; 73.3% evaluated our courses as very good; and 95.8% believed that our courses had fulfilled their expectations. 66% found the effectiveness of our course in advancing their surgical abilities very good; 30% good, and 4% satisfactory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Animal hands-on courses of transplantation surgery are one of the best options to learn and practice different operations and techniques in a near to clinical simulated model. Regular participation in such courses with a focus on practical issues can provide optimal opportunities for trainees with the advantage of direct mentoring and feedback.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golriz
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hafezi
authors.forename: Camelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garoussi
authors.forename: Nassim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fard
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arvin
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fonouni
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nickkholgh
authors.forename: Yakob
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kulu
authors.forename: Giovani
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frongia
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schemmer
authors.forename: Arianeb
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehrabi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013552:Swine
keywords: animal; hands-on course; surgery; transplantation