Unexpected pathological findings in skills training and assessing skills

This article draws attention to unexpected pathological findings encountered by students and teachers when examining one another and/or simulated patients in skips training and assessment sessions. Although no literature on the subject was found it appears to be not uncommon far students and teachers to find abnormalities during skills training and assessment. It is important that both students and teachers should be aware of this possibility and students should be encouraged to disclose any unexpected findings. Teachers should be given guidelines on the appropriate course of action during teacher-training sessions and students should be informed of the possibility of finding abnormal pathology prior to their participation in skills training and assessment

A surgical resident course:Five years' experience in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands surgical residency training in the hospitals is supplemented by courses organized on a national basis. In the first 2 years of training theoretical courses have to be followed and examinations have to be passed. During the last 4 years of training participation in the so-called Surgical Course is obligatory. The organization, design and formats of the course are described. During the course at least half of the time is spent in interactive sessions. The issues presented in the last 5 years cover a wide range of biomedical aspects (80%), psychological-communicative aspects (10%) and aspects which regard the relation of the surgeon and surgery with finance and society. The authors conclude that the surgical course meets nearly all the 'crises criteria'