Regnier, Terry D.

The Department of Anatomy at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN serves medical students, allied health profession students, residents, fellows, Mayo Clinic consultants and partners with Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education with an opportunity to learn anatomy and to practice surgical procedures and approaches, to develop and improve new techniques on unembalmed fresh tissue. The Procedural Skills Laboratory's (PSL) flexible design allows diverse usage of lab space for multiple small groups as well as large groups of up to 100 participants. The PSL provides an opportunity for residency directors to incorporate surgical and procedural training in a "safe" environment from which learners can advance from traditional "passive" learning to active participation in complicated surgical procedures. An example of such activities include courses in arthroscopic and laparoscopic procedures, pelvic and thoracic dissection utilizing Da Vinci surgical robot, central line placement, airway management, and many others. This hands on active training provides all lab participants with an opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills and competencies which directly translate to increased quality of patient care.