Nalin Amin, Program Director
CORE Surgical Curriculum
Department of Surgery
McMaster University

• Academic curriculum designed to develop and achieve the basic competencies required by the Royal College for certification in any surgical specialty
• Rotating schedule occurring Wed am’s from 0900-1200

• All PGY-1’s and PGY-2’s in all surgery divisions at McMaster University
– Cardiac Surgery
– General Surgery
– Orthopedic Surgery
– ENT Surgery
Neurosurgery
Plastic Surgery
Urology
– Opthalmology Possibly Ob/Gyne

• Clinical sessions
• Principles of Surgery
• Technical Skills sessions
• Research Methodology Course
• CanMEDS sessions

• Usually MUMC 4E-20
• Other venues:
– Michael Degroote Center for Learning
– Stelco Amphitheater (St. Joseph’s Healthcare)
– MUMC Anatomy Lab
– MUMC Simulation Center

• Program Coordinator:
– Jane Klie, kliej@mcmaster.ca
– Henderson Hospital, Ground Floor
– 70 Wing, Rm 17
• email usually best..
– Ensure you have given her your addresses and get a medportal account ASAP
– Check your email regularly!

• Advanced CORE schedule
• Contact information
• Handouts and presentations
• Goals and objectives
• Executive and their duties
• http://wwwfhs.mcmaster.ca/surgery/divisions/postgrad/CORERMC ontents.html

• CORE Program Director
• CORE Program Coordinator
• CORE Executive Committee
– Curriculum organized and managed by residents
– President, secretary, treasurer, past president,
Thunder Bay rep, PGY-1 rep, coordinators
– Elected yearly

• Elected from the PGY-1’s, 2’s – all divisions represented
• Represent the group, responsible to the
CORE
• Voice concerns, educational needs, coordinate sessions and faculty speakers/advisors
• Pivitol role in modifying the program

• President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• PGY-3 rep
• Thunder Bay rep
• PGY-1 rep
• Coordinator
• Coordinator
• Coordinator
• Coordinator
• John Agzarian
• Craig Durant
• Blake Yaracavitch
• Laura Vanderbeek
• Sara Kalechstein
• TBA
• Michael Tran
• Kevin Debiparshad
• Sarfaraz Banglawala
• Stephanie Ma

• Jane Klie
• Nalin Amin
• CORE Executive Members
• Home Program Director
• Ombudsperson:
– Mark Crowther – Hematology
– Elected every 3 yrs

• Significant time and resources
• Rely on educational altruism of clinical and research faculty
• If needs not met, follow process
– Executive
– Evaluations
– Jane or myself

• Full attendance to all sessions is mandatory
• This includes post tuesday night call
• No exceptions!
– Illnesses, conferences, exams, dependents, retreats, clinical work
• Off all clinical duties from 0900-1200
• Turn off pagers!

• Critical for improvement of the curriculum
• Used as attendance for sessions

Expectations: Research
Methodology
• Have attended and completed all 10 modules
• Have attended and completed all 10 posttests
• Have attended the CORE and Department of Surgery Research Days
• Have presented 1 research proposal, work in progress, completed research project

• Previously no…
• Attendance
• Participation
• Technical skills progress
• Research methodology attendance, modular quiz, presentation
• Final CORE evaluation is placed in FITER submitted by home program director to Royal
College for consideration of certification

New developments and future directions
• Newly renovated anatomy lab
• Newly renovated simulation center
• Revolutionized research methodology course
• Increased clinical content
• Corporate sponsorships
• Developing surgical skills centers