On August 27, 2012 HCORP, the Harvard Orthopedic Trauma Service, and the Neil and Elise Wallace STRATUS Center for Medical Simulation co-hosted the First Annual Boot Camp for PGY-2 residents. The program, led by BWH faculty and Harvard Orthopedic Trauma Service member, Michael Weaver, MD, was a full day of hands on skill sessions designed to give junior residents instruction about the basic tenets and techniques of orthopaedic surgery. Boot Camp faculty included Drs. Mark Vrahas, David Lhowe, Jeremy Smith, and HCORP Residency Director George Dyer, MD.

The day included brief lectures about the following topics: Soft Tissue Handling; Managing Bleeding, Working with Bone, and Plates and Screws. After each lecture, residents and faculty moved to the lab setting to practice techniques associated with each module. The residents learned how to and practiced the following: sew skin (on pigs feet); tie off vessels; cut bone with a saw; place K-wires; drill, measure and strip screws; and plating using compression plates.

After the practical lab sessions, the faculty evaluated each resident on their ability to perform the skills just practiced – for both accuracy and speed. Scores were kept and at the end of the session tabulated. While it was a very, very close contest, Dustin “Dusty” Hambright, MD, had the highest score of his peers and was awarded a set of Boot Camp dog tags for his good work.

The feedback from the residents, faculty, and STRATUS staff was overwhelmingly positive. Said one resident, “This was an incredible day. We had the opportunity to learn how to execute basic skills, with every move done under the watchful eyes of teachers who wanted us to get better. I couldn’t have asked for a more useful 8 hours of residency.”

We extend our sincere appreciation to the HCORP Executive Committee, the entire STRATUS Center staff who made us feel so welcome, and to Synthes for their generous in-kind equipment donation.

Plans are already under way for Boot Camp 2013. Get ready, Interns!

George Dyer, M.D., Suzanne Morrison & Michael Weaver, M.D.