title: Trauma Boot Camp: A Simulation-Based Pilot Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interns are often unprepared to effectively communicate in the acute trauma setting. Despite the many strengths of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program, the main shortcoming within the course is the deficiency of teamwork and leadership training. In this study, we describe the creation of an interdisciplinary boot camp in which interns' basic trauma knowledge, level of confidence, and teamwork skills are assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed a one-day, boot camp curriculum for interns of various specialties with the purpose of improving communication and teamwork skills for effective management of acute trauma patients. Our curriculum consisted of a one-day, twelve-hour experience, which included trauma patient simulations, content expert lectures, group discussion of video demonstrations, and skill development workstations. Baseline and acquired knowledge were assessed through the use of confidence surveys, cognitive questionnaires, and a validated evaluation tool of teamwork and leadership skills for trauma Results: Fifteen interns entered the boot camp with an overall confidence score of 3.2 (1-5 scale) in the management of trauma cases. At the culmination of the study, there was a significant increase in the overall confidence level of interns in role delegation, leadership, Crisis Resource Management (CRM) principles, and in the performance of primary and secondary surveys. No significant changes were seen in determining and effectively using the Glasgow Coma Scale, Orthopedic splinting/reduction skills, and effective use of closed-loop communication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An intensive one-day trauma boot camp demonstrated significant improvement in self-reported confidence of CRM concepts, role delegation, leadership, and performance of primary and secondary surveys. Despite the intensive curriculum, there was no significant improvement in overall teamwork and leadership performance during simulated cases. Our boot camp curriculum offers educators a unique framework to which they can apply to their own training program as a foundation for effective leadership and teamwork training for interns.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine, Summa Akron City Hospital.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ortiz Figueroa
authors.affiliation: Northeast Ohio Medical University.
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moftakhar
authors.affiliation: Walsh University.
authors.forename: Arthur L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dobbins Iv
authors.affiliation: University of Akron.
authors.forename: Ramisha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Northeast Ohio Medical University.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dasgupta
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blanda
authors.affiliation: Surgical Critical Care, Summa Akron City Hospital.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medicine, Summa Akron City Hospital.
authors.forename: Rami
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmed
keywords: atls; boot camp; crisis resource management; simulation; trauma; vicarious error management