Programme content
OBJECTIVES
PROGRAM CONTENT
The interuniversity certificate "Humanitarian surgery in austere environments" is a program comprising:
- A preparatory work by the student.
- 90 hours of classes given face-to-face and in English
Preparatory work by the student
1. Review of human anatomy, with particular respect to musculo-skeletal and vascular anatomy (75h)
2. International Humanitarian Laws - IHL (ICRC e-learning training Centre) (15h)
- a - Basic rules and principles of IHL (8 modules with evaluation)
- b - Thematic module 1: health care in danger, the legal framework
- c - Thematic module 2: rights and responsibilities of health-care personnel in armed conflicts and other emergencies C) ICRC* textbooks (2 volumes) on war surgery (75h)
3. ICRC* textbooks (2 volumes) on war surgery (75h)
* Manuel de chirurgie humanitaire (Manuel for Humanitarian surgery) (M. Ledecq, éditions Lavoisier)
* Top Knife. The art and craft of trauma surgery (Hirshberg and Mattox, Castle Hill Barns editors)
Humanitarian Surgery Course
1. Course program (90h)
- Introduction to humanitarian medicine and surgery
- War surgery module
- Resuscitation and anaesthesia module
- Head, neck and spine surgery module
- Plastic surgery module
- Thoracic surgery module
- Vascular surgery module
- Abdominal surgery module
- Urologic surgery module
- Obstetrics module
- Paediatric surgery module
- Orthopaedic trauma
- Logistics, pharmaceutics and specific questions
- Hand-on lab
- Evaluation
2. Course study (40h)
3. Course evaluation (5h)
TEACHING APPROACH
The classes shall be given in English.
The training is organised face-to-face and alternates between :
- Theory
- A minimum of 25% of case studies
- Simulation exercises (table top exercise, hands-on lab, practical exercise of sorting mass casualties, etc.)
Each training module is carried out by two instructors : an academic and a field expert in order to guarantee both the university charachter of the classes and their integrative dimension.
ASSESSMENT
The evaluation test includes two parts :
- A written examination on the theory
- A discussion before a panel of two examiners on a clinical case presented to the student
Added value
Key program benefits
- Unique offer in Belgium
- Instruction given in English
- Supplementary program to those already in existence in Europe
- Multi-skill training wich deals with various aspects of emergency humanitarian surgery
- Teaching staff combining the expertise of field specialists with that of leading experts in trauma and obstetrical surgery
- A certificate which will enable you to possibly take part in surgical missions within the leading humanitarian NGOs
- A timetable suited to professionally active individuals
Learning outcomes
At the end of the training the participant will in particular be able to :
- Understand the characteristics and the limits of performing surgery in the austere conditions of humanitarian medicine.
- Become familiar with the medico-surgical skills for the management of war wounds and crush injuries.
- Perform a range of surgical procedures, including management of extremity injuries, trauma, amputations, damage control surgery and damage control resuscitation.
- Manage obstetric and gynaecological emergencies including knowledge regarding when and how to fafely perform a caesarean section.
- Handle the normal range of surgical emergencies affecting a civilian population in resource constrained environments.
- Become familiar with a range of anaesthesia and resuscitation techniques adapted to local conditions and basic equipment available.
- Make resource based triage decisions;
- Recognize the different sources of stress in austere environments, recognize symptoms of stress and know the different coping mechanisms to deal with the stress.
- Know the prerequisites to perform quality surgery in austere settings( infrastructure, logistics, basic labs, blood transfusion, water and energy requirements).
- Manage intercultural and safety/security issues.