The Place of Simulation in the Surgical Resident Curriculum. The Pedagogic Program of the Nice Medical School Simulation Center

Introduction: Surgical training relies on medical school lectures, practical training in patient care and in the operating room including instruction in anatomy and experimental surgery. Training with different techniques of simulators can complete this. Simulator-based training, widely used in North America, can be applied to several aspects of surgical training without any risk for patients: technical skills in both open and laparoscopic surgery, the notion of teamwork and the multidisciplinary management of acute medicosurgical situations.

Method: We present the curriculum developed in the Simulation Center of the Medical School of Nice Sophia-Antipolis. All residents in training at the Medical School participate in this curriculum.

Results: Each medical student is required to pursue theoretical training (familiarization with the operating room check-list), training in patient management using a high fidelity mannequin for various medical and surgical scenarios and training in technical gestures in open and laparoscopic surgery over a 2-year period, followed by an examination to validate all technical aptitudes. This curriculum has been approved and accredited by the prestigious American College of Surgeons, making this the first of its kind in France.

Conclusion: As such, it should be considered as a model and, in accordance to the wishes of the French Surgical Academy, the first step toward the creation of true schools of surgery.