Pilot Program in Surgical Anatomy Education for Complex Cranial and Skull Base Procedures: Curriculum Overview & Initial 2-Year Experience at Mayo Clinic

Background: Cadaveric dissection remains a preferred and irreplaceable learning modality among neurosurgery residents. We aimed to develop and describe a tiered, quantifiable, and practical curriculum for cranial neurosurgical anatomy education. We report the structure and evaluation of our 2-year pilot study to serve as a suggested guide for other neurosurgery programs. Method: Our Complex Cranial Dissection Program is tailored to the needs of junior-level neurosurgery residents based on their post-graduation year (PGY) 1-4. Dissections are performed in a sequential manner, each of which emphasize a particular set of manual skills and neuroanatomic knowledge. Dissections are scored on a scale of 10 points. The grading was based on specific landmarks and anatomical structures which need to be exposed, explored, and preserved. Results: Out of 16 residents, 14 individuals (87.5%) attended the dissections in the first iteration of the program and 16 individuals (100%) attended the dissections in the second iteration. A total of seventeen dissections were performed across all years. In survey feedback about the program, 100% (Year 1) and 94% (Year 2) of residents considered the assigned dissections to be appropriate for their respective training level. Further, 100% (Year 1) and 94% (Year 2) of residents endorsed that the dissections were important and helpful for their practice prior to similar operating room experiences. Conclusions: The development and implementation of structured dissection programs within residency training, along with dedicated staff, and objective feedback serve a crucial role in neurosurgical education to further develop and enhance surgical skills in the operative setting.