On July 14-15, Tufts Medical Center hosted The Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS)’s Boot Camp: Fundamental Skills Course in Tufts Medical Center's Surgical and Interventional Research Laboratories, our full-service surgical testing facility used by industry and academia for preclinical medical devices and diagnostic testing.
Now in its seventh year, 35 neurosurgical residents from throughout the region (New England, New York and New Jersey) received technical and communicational skills needed to help them transition from life as a medical student to one as a medical professional.
Led by Neurosurgeon-in-Chief Carl Heilman, MD and Residency Program Director of the Department of Neurosurgery Julian Wu, MD, Tufts MC’s and other Neurosurgery Department faculty trained the next generation of neurosurgical leaders by providing fundamental training in bedside procedures. The course was hands-on, using simulators to practice everything from intubations to administering drugs.
“Our goal was to equip interns with procedural and learning skills so that when they return to their respective hospitals, they have experience and skills they can build on,” said Dr. Wu.
Another key component of the program? Team building. “We want residents to understand that they are not alone in this profession – collaboration is critical. So it was important for them to get comfortable working with senior faculty and understanding how to involve the team, especially during an emergency,” commented Dr. Wu. “Additionally, it provided a great sense of community for interns from hospitals, both big and small, to come together.”
