Microsurgical skills training course and impact on trainee confidence and workload

Our objective was to measure the impact of a basic microsurgery training course on trainees’ confidence and workload in performing microsurgery. A prospective study of participants in an accredited 5-day microsurgery course over a 3-month period. The confidence and workload of the participants were assessed after the first and final day. The workload was assessed using the validated NASA Task Load Index composed of 6 subscales scored on a 20-point visual analog scale (VAS). Confidence was assessed over 5 dimensions on a 5-point VAS for anastomosis performance, vessels preparation, knot tying, training effectiveness, and future practice of microsurgery. A total of 31 participants completed the study with 55% reporting some previous microsurgery experience. All confidence dimensions improved significantly after completing the course, regardless of prior experience (p