Benefits for Program Directors

ACS Fundamentals of Surgery Curriculum (ACS FSC) was designed to ensure first year surgical residents have encountered simulations of critical situations they will face in real life. The scenarios allow these residents to practice safe ways to approach each patient with opportunities to learn from mistakes. In this patented learning method feedback is given with each selected decision allowing residents to receive immediate feedback whether correct or incorrect.

Many programs find practice in the ACS FSC useful in view of duty hour restrictions. A 2013 study showed that having interns participate in a boot camp which included ACS FSC resulted in improved staff perceptions of intern performance, aptitudes, and interpersonal and communication skills.¹

How to Use ACS FSC in Your Program

Most programs provide access to residents to complete independently prior to or early in the start of residency.

Programs have also used ACS FSC for:

• Small group discussions
• Grand Rounds Discussions
• Remediation
• Study for ABSITE exams

Additional Resources for Program Officials

• Reports show the progress of individual residents, small groups, or all residents, including which scenarios have been completed, which are in progress, which have not been started, and the amount of time spent on each scenario
• Instructors’ Manual provides an overview of each scenario including the topic, key learning points, core competencies addressed, answers, references, and images
• Administrators have access to several guides with user-friendly, step-by-step instructions to easily administer the curriculum

1. Krajewski A, Flippa D, Staff I, Singh R, Kirton OC. Implementation of an intern boot camp curriculum to address clinical competencies under the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education supervision requirements and duty hour restrictions. JAMA. 2013;148(8):727-732.