Citation

Onufer EJ, Andrade E, Cullinan DR, Kramer J, Leonard J, Stewart M, Vallar K, Wise PE, Klingensmith ME, Punch LJ. J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American College of Surgeons, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.09.025

PMID

33152488

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gun violence (GV) is a complex public health issue and the management of GV as a disease engages the surgeon in technical and non-technical skills. The Anatomy of Gun Violence (AGV) curriculum was developed to teach surgical trainees these seemingly disparate skills, training residents to manage the multiple aspects of firearm injury.

STUDY DESIGN: The AGV curriculum was delivered over six weeks in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years (AY) and utilized multiple educational methods including didactic lectures, mock oral examinations, a Bleeding Control training session, a GV survivor's personal story, a Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) training session, and the Surgery for Abdominal-thoracic ViolencE (SAVE) simulation lab. As surgical residents were involved over both AYs, components of the curriculum were available every other year to provide variety. As proof of concept, this novel curriculum was objectively evaluated by residents' improvement in knowledge and overall experience using pre and post surveys.

RESULTS: 60 surgical residents participated in the AGV curriculum in both AYs with 41 and 36 residents completing the survey regarding their experiences with the curriculum. The curriculum was well received by residents overall in both AYs (median+/-IQR 5+/-0 and 5+/-0.1, respectively), with the SAVE simulation lab being the most highly favored portion. Additionally, residents had an average 7.5% improvement in knowledge attributed to the curriculum, with a larger effect seen in the junior residents.

CONCLUSION: This novel AGV curriculum created a well-received learning experience involving the technical and non-technical skills necessary to care for GV victims. This comprehensive approach to GV may represent a unique opportunity to engage surgical trainees in both the treatment and prevention of firearm injuries.

Language: en