A weekly educational conference is held in each city, which is attended by all residents and faculty at the respective training sites. Weekly conference includes a didactics lecture, morbidity and mortality conference, and grand rounds. All residents are required to attend conference.
Didactics
The resident didactics follow the SCORE curriculum, with a lecture and quizzes based on the topic of the week. All residents are required to participate in this weekly forum. The didactics lectures are given by the surgical faculty.
Grand Rounds
Grand rounds are held weekly, following the Morbidity and Mortality conference. The purpose of this activity is to provide residents, faculty and other attendees with the current knowledge of the issues encountered in surgical practice. Local, national and international speakers are invited to discuss current thought provoking issues, progressive techniques and innovations as well as personal prespectives. The goal is to promote awareness of the most recent paradigms and advances in the field of surgery in order to improve the care provided to the patients.
The timings of the Grand Rounds are as follows:
New Orleans: Thursday 7:30am
Baton Rouge: Monday 3:00pm
Lafayette: Thursday 8:00am
Simulation Training
Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery & Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery
The residents have 24/7 access to the state of the art simulation center at LSUHSC to practice Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery on a symbionix trainer. The residents also have access to multiple laparoscopic surgery trainers to practice for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery. The residents rotate through various skill stations according to their specific needs. The residents are required to pass the FLS and the FES tests by the end of the third year of residency.
Robotic Surgery
Over 20 robots are available among the various hospitals within our system and provide a very robust robotic experience. University Medical Center as well as Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center also have a DiVinci simulator available 24/7 for practice. The residents also participate in the DaVinci simulation training program through their PGY 1-3 years. Junior residents are encouraged to participate in online simulation early on in order to maximize their participation in complex robotic cases during the course of their training.
All residents graduate with over 200 robotic cases and are certified in the use of the DaVinci robotic system.
Morbidity & Mortality Conference
The purpose of the Morbidity and Mortality conference is to provide a safe forum for the residents to identify areas of improvement, foster self-evaluation, and promote integrity and professionalism, in order to create better surgeons and improve patient care. The M&M conference also allows the opportunity to incorporate the six ACGME competencies (patient care, clinical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, practiced-based learning and improvment and systems based practice) into learning.
Morbidity and Mortality conference is held once every week. Senior resident from each service submits all complications from the service for the week on the Sunday prior to the conference. Two index cases are chosen by a M&M committee for 20 minute educational presentations shared with the rest of the residents and faculty. Emphasis is given to a review of evidence-based practices based on up to date literature.
The timings of the Morbidity and Mortality conference are as follows:
New Orleans: Thursday 6:30am
Baton Rouge: Monday 4:00pm
Lafayette: Thursday 7:00am
Journal Club
A monthly jounal club is held across all cities, where residents get together and discuss recent literature on the topic of the month. Three or four primary journal articles are chosen by the chief residents, and presented by the residents with a faculty moderator. In addition to the program wide journal club, specific rotations hold rotation specific journal clubs to review current literatures in the specific domains.
Intern Boot Camp
Each year in July, LSU Department of Surgery hosts a 'boot camp' for the new interns for LSU and Oschner General Surgery residents, as well as residents starting in LSU Vascular Surgery, Otolaryngology and Urology residencies.
The Intern Bootcamp is held at LSUHSC New Orleans' multi-million dollar, state of the art simulation lab with multiple human patient simulators available for resident use for cases, dissection, and procedural experience. Residents participate in many engaging didactic sessions reviewing the basics of surgery including endoscopy, laparoscopy, use of electrocautery, needles and sutures, and many more. The hands on skills stations review the use of ultrasound for FAST exams and biopsies, central line placement, chest tube placement, various suture techniques and bowel anastomoses, to include a few.
The bootcamp is led by the faculty and upper level residents from LSU Department of surgery. Intern boot camp not only provides the participants with a strong foundation for the intern year, but also gives them a chance to meet their faculty and colleagues from across the city in a fun filled environment. This yearly tradition, established in 2010 by Dr. John Morrison, is one of the most well regarded event throughout the year.