Apprenticeship Model in 21st Century’s Surgical Education: Should it Perish?

Abstract

Traditionally the Apprenticeship has remained the backbone of any surgical training model for decades. This model ensures optimal surgical training quality by ensuring optimal trainer-trainee relationship and adequate exposure to the disease and operative spectrum. In this 21st century, both the quality of meaningful trainer-trainee interaction and operative or clinical exposure has come at stake due to multiple factors. These factors include rapidly advancing technology, more residents, the evolution of subspecialties, reducing working hours, and many others, which greatly compromise the strength and quality of apprenticeship. Keeping in view the strengths and benefits, and also identifying the need in the 21st century this model needs reincarnation. Newer pursuits like Proficiency-Based Progression (PBP) through Osler and Halstedian Model, quality assured assessment, use of simulated settings, augmented reality, and robotics are few choices. A carefully planned incorporation of strategies into these newer learning models is pivotal to maintain the essence of apprenticeship for not only keeping this model alive but also ensuring the quality of meaningful trainer-trainee interaction and adequate clinical exposure in surgical training.