Curriculum Goals

The implementation of the curriculum will provide the opportunity for the resident to attain the following goals during their course of training.

1. Provide learning experiences based on measurable objectives for education of plastic surgeons during the residency.
2. Integrate principles of basic sciences with clinical experiences.
3. Promote a broad understanding of the role of plastic surgery and its interaction with other medical disciplines such as general surgery, general medicine, psychiatry and pediatrics.
4. Provide for progressive responsibility from initial patient care to complete patient management.
5. Foster effective interdisciplinary collaborative relationships.
6. Provide plastic surgery residents with the ability to function as teachers and consultants.
7. Foster continuing education to promote lifelong individual initiative and creative scholarship.
8. Prepare plastic surgery residents to use research technology and skills in conducting studies that assist in solving surgical problems.
9. Develop professional leadership and management skills.
10. Promote understanding of the economic, legal and social challenges of contemporary and future surgery.

Method

The Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Plastic Surgery Residency Program accomplishes these goals by a graduated curriculum in their three-year program which is generally divided into three levels — the first as a junior resident, the second year as a senior resident, and the third year as a chief resident. (See below.)

Curriculum Objectives

When the goals of the curriculum are met, they will have engendered a change in behavior of the residents during their training program. These objectives then can be expressed as outcomes which specify what the resident should know, be able to do or have an attitude about. At the completion of training, the resident should be able to:

1. Manage plastic surgery related disorders based on a thorough knowledge of basic and clinical science.
2. Demonstrate appropriate skill in those surgical techniques required of a qualified plastic surgeon.
3. Demonstrate the use of critical thinking when making decisions affecting the life of a patient and the patient's family.
4. Make sound ethical and legal judgments appropriate for a qualified surgeon.
5. Collaborate effectively with colleagues and other health professionals.
6. Teach and share knowledge with colleagues, residents, students and other health care providers.
7. Teach patients and their families about the patient's health needs.
8. Demonstrate acceptance of the value life-long learning as a necessary prerequisite to maintaining plastic surgery knowledge and skill.
9. Demonstrate a commitment to scholarly pursuits through the conduct and evaluation of research.
10. Demonstrate leadership in the management of complex programs and organizations.
11. Provide cost-effective care to surgical patients and families within the community.
12. Respect the religious needs of patients and their families and provide surgical care in accordance with those needs.

Program Objectives

To further expand on the curriculum objectives, the program objectives are described by level of training. They also describe the behavior of a resident who has achieved these levels of competence.

Junior Resident Program Objectives (Year I)

The resident should be able to:

1. Exhibit a dedication to the principles of professional preparation in surgery that emphasize the primacy of the patient as the focus for surgical intervention.
2. Demonstrate continued progress in attaining competency in basic and clinical sciences.
3. Explain basic ethical principles inherent in plastic surgery practice.
4. Share data obtained from a comprehensive physical examination with colleagues.
5. Demonstrate competence in performing selected invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
6. Demonstrate the proper use of sterile techniques when performing or assisting with operative procedures.
7. Demonstrate the ability to teach patients and their families about disease processes and their health.
8. Recognize responsibility for and develop skill in teaching residents, students and other health care providers.
9. Develop and implement plans for study, reading, and research that promote personal and professional growth.
10. Use available resources to survey current plastic surgery research.
11. Demonstrate the leadership principles that relate to management of patient care.
12. Demonstrate understanding of the socioeconomic, cultural and managerial factors inherent in providing cost-effective health care.
13. Develop and present a scholarly paper.
14. Demonstrate continued progress in the acquisition of knowledge and skill in the practice of plastic surgery.
15. Use available data from basic and social sciences when planning preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care for newly admitted patients.
16. Relate scientific knowledge and research findings to care of patients.
17. Discuss with team members the ethical aspects of surgical intervention.
18. Function in an effective collaborative role with faculty and other residents.
19. Provide appropriate health teaching to patients scheduled for plastic surgery intervention.
20. Teach medical and other health professional students and junior residents about the management of surgical patients.
21. Demonstrate progress toward achievement of goals for personal and professional growth and development.
22. Evaluate current research and its relationship to surgical practice.
23. Function in a leadership role by using the problem-solving approach in planning care for patients and families.
24. Demonstrate the development of cost consciousness in the use of diagnostic and therapeutic technology when caring for the surgical patient.

Senior Resident Program Objectives (Year 2)

The resident should be able to:

1. Manage patients having complicated plastic surgery conditions.
2. Demonstrate the technical skill required of a first assistant to the operating surgeon.
3. Act as first assistant in more complicated surgical interventions.
4. Use critical thinking in making decisions about management of care.
5. Incorporate ethical concepts in the planning of pre- intra- and postoperative care of patients and families.
6. Collaborate with patient and family when planning operative procedures and postoperative care.
7. Provide pre- and postoperative teaching to patients requiring surgical intervention and their families.
8. Continue to demonstrate appropriate skill in teaching other residents and other health care professionals.
9. Analyze resources available for providing continued learning experiences.
10. Develop research proposals to promote improvements in medical and surgical care.
11. Use leadership strategies in the implementation of health care to patients and families.
12. Explain to patient and family the costs involved in surgical care being planned.
13. Assist junior residents in assuming, planning and managing pre- and postoperative care for patients with common surgical disorders.
14. Perform more complex plastic surgery under appropriate supervision.
15. Provide complete follow up care until the patient is fully recovered.
16. Guide junior residents in making decisions about findings of physical examination and management of pre-­ and postoperative care.
17. Incorporate appropriate ethical principles when presenting patient care studies.
18. Collaborate with residents, faculty and other health professionals to provide comprehensive health care for patients.
19. Evaluate standards for plastic surgery practice.
20. Evaluate achievement of identified goals for personal and professional growth.
21. Demonstrate the ability to conduct experimental research studies in the laboratory and in clinical settings.
22. Implement leadership role in planning changes for improving and managing care of patients in a variety of settings.
23. Demonstrate understanding of the impact of health legislation (Medicare and Medicaid) and the third-party payment system on the cost of surgical care for individuals and families.

Chief Resident Program Objectives (Year 3)

At the end of the third year, the resident should be able to:

1. Supervise junior residents in caring for patients with complex plastic surgery conditions.
2. Demonstrate a high level of scientific, clinical and technical knowledge and skill during operative procedures.
3. Demonstrate effective decision making in the management of care for all types of surgical patients and their families.
4. Discuss with junior residents and medical students the ethical issues related to surgical practice.
5. Demonstrate to junior residents the collaborative role of the surgeon in the practice of surgery in the community.
6. Evaluate the teaching skills of junior residents and provide guidance for improving these skills.
7. Evaluate knowledge gained from continuing education and its relationship to professional development.
8. Conduct independent research and assist junior residents in planning clinical research proposals.
9. Provide leadership to medical students and junior residents in the management of complex programs for providing health care.
10. Evaluate the cost effectiveness of present and future surgical care of patients and families.