The Surgical Skills Center at Indiana University School of Medicine was formally accredited in the summer of 2019 by the American College of Surgeons as a Comprehensive Education Institute. Equipped with modern simulation centers to aid all surgery trainee levels from novice to practice-ready, these advanced facilities provide opportunities to all residents and fellows in the Department of Surgery to hone individual surgical skills within a low-stakes environment. This structured skills and simulation environment improves patient safety through focused and structured practice.
Under the leadership of E. Matthew Ritter, MD, director of the Surgical Skills Center, and David Canal, MD, assistant director of the Surgical Skills Center, the skills lab curricula involve all residency and fellowship training programs in the Department of Surgery with scheduled sessions throughout the academic year. Trainees observe, practice, and evaluate their performance. The Surgical Skills Center also houses Simbionix simulators for laparoscopic and endoscopic training and is a designated Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) training site.
