Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma Courses (ASSET)

ASSET is a program sponsored by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma that uses human cadavers to provide instruction and advanced hands-on opportunities to teach difficult surgical exposure of anatomic structures, usually vascular, that when injured may pose a threat to life or limb. This course is designed for surgeons who take an active role in the acute care of the trauma patient and to maintain skills for these injuries that occur infrequently and are difficult to access. This is a fast-paced, hands-on skills lab that covers exposure of vessels in the neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, and extremities.

A course manual is distributed to students prior to taking the course. It provides an overview of key surgical exposures in five key anatomic areas. A short case-based introduction is presented for each anatomic area, followed by a hands-on exposure, performed by students under faculty guidance. Because the student-to-faculty ratio is low, there is extensive faculty guidance and interaction with students. The student assesses his or her ability to perform each exposure independently and is evaluated on knowledge and technical skills.

Four to five ASSET courses are offered yearly, and the program is fully verified by the American College of Surgeons, a distinction it has held since 2011. The ASSET Student Course Manual is used for teaching the course.

For more information, please contact:

Angela Martinez
ASSET Program Coordinator
Email: angela.martinez@med.usc.edu

Lydia Lam, MD
Director Los Angeles General Medical Center ASSET Course