Microsurgical training curriculum for learning kidney and liver transplantation in the rat

During the education of the next generation of scientists in experimental research, careful instruction in surgical techniques is of major importance. This applies in particular to complicated microsurgical models, which require a structured teaching concept with clearly laid-down working steps and adequate didactic resources. Transplantations in rats are undoubtedly among the most difficult models in experimental surgery. Because completely sutured orthotopic liver transplantation and kidney transplantation have been practiced for many years in our Surgical Research Unit, techniques must be transmitted to future generations. A microsurgical training program has been set up with the aim of being efficient, transparent, and motivating. Simply learning-by-doing in the sense of "laissez-faire" is ineffective and costly. Our training program is based on "three-phase didactics," in which the learning targets are presented in sequence and are clearly defined. This report is intended to give a brief overview of the principal transplantation models and to serve as a guide for teaching these models. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.