News

This June, the Department of Surgery celebrated the graduation of nine general surgery chief residents with a series of events and awards leading up to their graduation on the evening of the 23rd.

Michael Awad, MD, PhD, MHPE, has been named President of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE). The announcement came during Surgical Education Week in San Diego, CA.

Each year, Washington University general surgery residents demonstrate their laparoscopic surgery skills in a local “Top Gun” competition at the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE). 

In December 2022, the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) received reaccreditation from the American College of Surgeons as an Accredited Education Institute (ACS-AEI). 

Before joining the General Surgery Residency at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, it was clear to Tiffany Brocke, MD, that the program trained not only highly skilled surgeons, but also leaders who are constantly asking the “big questions” to improve the field of surgery.

This June, general surgery residents, faculty and staff gathered for an academic conference at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis featuring a lecture from Bixby Professor and Department of Surgery Chair Timothy Eberlein, MD, and the presentation of the annual General Surgery Residency Awards.

The Graduating Class of 2022 have honored Michael Awad, MD, PhD, a professor of surgery and associate program director of the general surgery residency at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, as the Clinical Teacher of the Year.

General surgery residents at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis receive surgical training in one of the nation’s top programs, preparing them for careers as leaders in their specialties.

Corbin Frye, MD, a general surgery resident at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, won the Top Gun Surgeon competition at the SAGES 2022 annual meeting.

Over the past decade, advances in surgical technology have led to an increasing number of cases being performed robotically. Robotic surgery, like laparoscopic surgery, typically involves smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times than traditional open surgery.

Residents and faculty at the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) have the opportunity to evaluate the LaparoS, a new virtual reality laparoscopic skills simulator developed by the Swiss medical education company VirtaMed.

During residency, trainees at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis participate in a high volume of minimally invasive surgical cases, gaining valuable experience in the growing fields of laparoscopic and robotic surgery.

On July 15, 2021, General Surgery residents Britta Han, MD, MSEd, Alston James, MD, and Kerry Swanson, MD, alongside Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) coordinators, participated in the BJC School Outreach and Youth Development’s 2021 Adventures in Healthcare Camp.

Britta Han, MD, MSEd, brings her passion for education to the WISE Center as an ACS-AEI Education Fellow.

Congratulations to the graduating chief residents in general surgery, who go on to continue their training at Washington University in St. Louis and institutions across the country.

Inaugural Education Fellow Eileen Smith, MD, presents research at Surgical Simulation Summit.

The Department of Surgery Annual Report is available now. The report recognizes the Department’s clinical, research and educational accomplishments from the past year.

Residents recently had the opportunity to practice their surgical skills on real-tissue simulators at the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) Center. 

Awad recounts the growth of his career as a surgical educator, from beginning as a teaching assistant in college to becoming Director of the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education.

Each year, the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) Center welcomes a new group of interns with a surgical skills “boot camp,” cultivating important fundamentals such as suturing, knot tying and laparoscopic techniques. 

Kidney stones are a common problem, affecting nearly one in ten Americans. According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems every year.

Robotic surgery is introducing opportunities for improved patient care. Similar to laparoscopic operations, robotic surgery uses smaller incisions than traditional open surgery, and a camera inside one of these incisions allows the surgeon to see the targeted anatomy.

The Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) Center is proud to welcome new and returning residents, faculty and staff to in-person trainings this summer.

The Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) Center plays an important role in the Department of Surgery’s Residency Programs. Surgical residents in the General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Urology, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Programs have access to a robust simulation and technical skills training component at the WISE Center.

The Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE) skills lab offers several options to further the education and training of surgery residents, medical students, faculty and staff at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

For most of its history, surgical education has relied on the operating room as the main source of learning. Residents—who spent over 100 hours per week in the hospital—learned by observing and operating under supervision, taking on the cases and procedures that came through the OR.