title: Plasticine Model: An Useful Surgical Training in Plastic Surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To help surgical trainees reach a deep understanding of plastic operations, we developed and evaluated an economical and convenient model using plasticine for plastic surgical training.
  
  
  METHODS
  From Sep of 2012 to Dec of 2014, we invited 57 medical interns to participate in a program designed for the qualitative evaluation of this model. In this program, 57 interns were asked to simulate certain surgical operations under guidance of the experienced staff of our department using the plasticine model. The value of the plasticine model was evaluated through questionnaire surveys. Their acceptance of the plasticine model, as well as the benefits and the flaws, was evaluated by the questionnaire survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the participants completed the training session as well as the questionnaire, all of whom felt that the plasticine model had increased their familiarity with the surgical procedure they were assigned. By remodeling plasticine, the trainees understood either the brief surgical procedures or some confusing operative details in plastic surgery. In the questionnaire surveys, the trainees showed considerable consensus with the training program. The flaws of this method were also listed. The flaws generally reflected that "it is difficult to model into a vivid image" and "it is not suitable for all the operation".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the plasticine model is accepted by the participants in this survey. This model is economical and versatile, and could be used as a complementary training tool for novices in simulated operation training of plastic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 No. of Yanjiang Street, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. jichenyang@163.com.
authors.forename: Chenyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 No. of Yanjiang Street, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Ruiting
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 No. of Yanjiang Street, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Weiqiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 No. of Yanjiang Street, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 No. of Yanjiang Street, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jinming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000193:education*; D057566:Self Report; D000066908:Simulation Training; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000193:education*
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; C056721:plasticine
keywords: Plastic surgery; Plasticine model; Simulated operation; Surgical training