Education

The thoracic residency has a robust didactic program. A structured weekly cardiothoracic teaching conference covers all topics included in the Thoracic Surgery Core Curriculum and utilizes the Society of Thoracic Surgeons on-line learning management system, monthly quizzes and a case-based conference series. In addition, we have a monthly debate-style journal club, mock oral examinations, and morbidity and mortality conference. Residents participate in a structured simulation program, with a series of simulation and cadaver laboratories throughout the year, with sessions for open and robotic lobectomy, chest wall resection, tracheal resection, sleeve lobectomy, coronary artery bypass, valve repair/replacement and robotics.

Sample Didactic Schedule

John B. Flege Visiting Professorship

The Section hosts an annual visiting professorship, in which a nationally prominent surgeon is invited to the University of Cincinnati to give a Grand Rounds presentation. Our residents interact with our invited visiting professor during a dinner reception, teaching conference and a luncheon.

Past John B. Flege Visiting Professors include:

• 2011   Joseph Zwischenberger, MD
• 2012   Bryan Meyers, MD
• 2015   Cameron Wright, MD
• 2016   William Baumgartner, MD
• 2017   Ara Vaporciyan, MD
• 2018   Richard Prager, MD
• 2019   Douglas Mathisen, MD
• 2021   Walter Merrill, MD
• 2024   Yolonda L. Colson, MD, PhD

Simulation

Our PGY-1s participate in the Department of Surgery Intern Bootcamp, an 8-week program that teaches our interns basic surgical skills such as knot tying, suturing and bowel anastomosis.

Our residents also become certified in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS). The FLS course is an education and skills training module developed by the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons Division of Education to teach and assess basic skills of minimally invasive surgery.

We have a quarterly simulation laboratory in cardiothoracic surgery, which includes both wet and dry laboratory experiences. Experiences include:

• Coronary anastomosis
• Cannulation techniques
• Valve repair and replacement
• Open and robotic lobectomy
• Esophagectomy anastomotic techniques
• Sleeve lobectomy

We have a robotic simulation curriculum consisting of: online training modules; hands on learning with proctored labs to learn port insertion, instrumentation, and docking; simulation on robotic training console, and complex procedure specific drills to further refine the residents’ robotic dexterity.

The Center for Surgical Innovation (CSI)

The Center for Surgical Innovation (CSI), which officially opened in the spring of 2006, is a 3,700 square foot, state-of-the-art core facility that provides unique opportunities for supporting training and education. This facility has a fully functioning operating room, including capabilities for thoracoscopy.