Surgical skills of pre-registration house surgeons

As demands on house surgeons increase and junior doctors' hours are reduced, the opportunity for learning surgical skills during the pre-registration period is threatened. An increasing number of medical specialties, including general practice, now require a proficiency in these skills. For many doctors the pre-registration period may be the last occasion when formal training from experienced surgeons is available. Fifteen house surgeons were tested and asked to perform three basic surgical drills on artificial skin and answer 10 questions relevant to minor surgery during the final week of their house surgical post. Four (27 per cent) house surgeons were unable to complete any of the surgical drills, no one could calculate the dose of lignocaine in 10 ml of a 1% solution, and only two (13 per cent) knew the safe maximum dose of subcutaneous plain lignocaine. This study highlights deficiencies in basic surgical skills amongst house surgeons and suggests that this opportunity for training is being missed.