March 19, 2024
A new American College of Surgeons (ACS) course called Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET) is now available at 12 sites nationwide. ACS offers the course at each designated location twice yearly, and its website lists all upcoming courses. This full-day course uses cadavers to teach access to vascular and trauma-related injuries. Nonresidents receive a maximum of eight AMA PRA Category 1 Credits for completing ASSET.
"This course opens up the learners' training and teaches surgical exposure of anatomic structures of a patient who's experienced a traumatic injury," says Dawn M. Steinfadt, Mayo Clinic trauma center continuing medical education specialist. "It gives them the opportunity to learn hands-on exposure of vascular and traumatic injuries, so they know exactly where they're going. The course focuses on patient anatomy and not just trauma."
The ASSET course is aimed at fourth-year general surgery residents and physicians, surgical critical care and vascular fellows, and staff trauma surgeons seeking to maintain relevant skills. The course is voluntary, but Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education strongly encourages its residents to enroll.
What ASSET entails and its reception to date
Four instructors and one course director lead the ASSET course, which involves hands-on learning with four learners working on each cadaver for skills practice. The low student-to-faculty ratio allows for extensive faculty guidance and interaction. Before the course at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota site, Steinfadt sends each registered learner ACS procedural videos to review and an ASSET manual to read. ACS also sells the manual for those interested and not registered for the course.
"This course opens up the learners' training and teaches surgical exposure of anatomic structures of a patient who's experienced a traumatic injury. It gives them the opportunity to learn hands-on exposure of vascular and traumatic injuries, so they know exactly where they're going."
Trainees' healthcare organizations typically pay for ASSET registration, and practicing physicians fund their own registrations. Pricing varies, says Daniel Stephens, M.D., Mayo Clinic trauma center adult medical director, but typically runs approximately $1,000.
ASSET course at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota
Daniel Stephens, M.D., presents at the ASSET course at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
Dr. Stephens played an instrumental role in bringing the ASSET course to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, says Steinfadt. The campus became a course site after meeting ACS' basic requirements, an application, and then a site visit and approval. The trauma center held its first ASSET course in April 2022. Mayo Clinic Trauma Center has hosted four ASSET courses since that time, and demand for the course has been high, says Steinfadt. Despite limited, invite-only promotion, the upcoming April 2024 course at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota filled quickly.
"Residents absolutely love the ASSET course," says Steinfadt. "Some have commented that the course was 'by far the single most educational day' of their residencies. It builds their confidence before a trauma rotation."
She also says that many residents have shown great interest in the ASSET course. First-year residents have requested to register, although Steinfadt has asked them to wait till their fourth year.
Dr. Stephens also encourages enrolling in ASSET at any ACS-designated site.
"The learners in this course get significant operative exposure," he says. "It especially gives residents experience they don't get day to day."
For more information
Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma. Trauma Education. American College of Surgeons.
ASSET Course Listing. Trauma Education. American College of Surgeons.
Refer a patient to Mayo Clinic.