The application of medical surgery simulator in teaching.

Medical surgical models, as essential tools in modern medical education, significantly enhance the surgical skills of surgeons, addressing the gaps left by traditional surgical training methods. Training surgeons is a core element of medical education, and surgical models provide a realistic simulation of the surgical environment, offering a safe learning platform. Traditional surgical education relies on classroom teaching, case analysis, and observing actual surgeries, which often fall short in meeting training needs. The use of medical surgical models enables surgeons to practice procedures without relying on real patients, offering low-risk, high-repetition practice opportunities. This article will discuss the specific roles of medical surgical models in surgical skill development, covering the evolution of these models, their diverse applications in medical education, and future perspectives in this field.

The history of surgical models in medical education dates back to the early stages of medical development. As early as the Middle Ages, medical education utilized basic wax and wooden models to help students understand human anatomy. Due to limited technology, however, these models lacked precision and functionality. With advancements in technology, simulation techniques matured in the latter half of the 20th century, bringing highly detailed medical surgical models into practice. Today's models include physiological models, 3D-printed models, and virtual reality (VR) surgical simulators, which accurately replicate anatomical structures, simulate physiological functions, and even provide tactile feedback through technology. These advancements have made surgical models an indispensable part of surgical training.

The role of surgical models in medical education spans several levels. In the foundational education phase, models aid in anatomy and physiology studies, allowing students to learn human structures and functions in a dynamic, three-dimensional context, enhancing comprehension and retention. While traditional anatomy atlases or two-dimensional diagrams present human structures, they lack depth and realistic spatial relationships. Models allow students to touch and observe structures firsthand, helping them understand the relative positioning, layered structure, and spatial connections of organs, laying a solid foundation for later surgical training.

As students enter clinical practice, the application of surgical models becomes more intensive. Surgical skills are core competencies in a physician's career, requiring extensive hands-on practice. Traditional surgical training relies on cadaver dissections, observing senior surgeons, and gradually participating in patient surgeries, which partially promotes skill acquisition. However, limited cadaver resources, high costs, and constrained practice opportunities mean students have limited exposure to hands-on surgical experience. The use of surgical models fills this gap. By practicing repetitively on models, students can master key surgical steps, improve hand coordination, and learn to handle common situations in surgery. Models can also be reused according to teaching needs, offering doctors numerous low-risk practice opportunities.

Medical surgical models are especially important in training surgical skills. Surgical procedures are high-risk clinical operations, where a surgeon's technical proficiency directly impacts patient safety. Surgical models allow surgeons to practice complex steps repeatedly and improve surgical techniques without endangering patient health. For example, minimally invasive surgery models help doctors learn how to use specialized tools, understand anatomical details, and refine procedural steps. Additionally, models can simulate various complications, allowing doctors to practice handling emergencies, building adaptability in surgery. For residents and beginners, simulation not only enhances technical skills but also hones psychological resilience, preparing them for future independent procedures.

Surgical models are valuable in the preoperative rehearsal of complex surgeries. For procedures requiring precise planning and coordination, doctors can generate patient-specific models using 3D printing based on CT or MRI images, enabling preoperative simulations. This process familiarizes surgeons with the anatomy of diseased areas and critical surgical phases, enhancing procedural accuracy and efficiency. In high-difficulty surgeries, rehearsals increase confidence, lower intraoperative error risks, and offer safer treatment for patients.

Medical surgical models have positively influenced doctor-patient relationships as well. In traditional surgical education, students and residents often rely on actual patient procedures for experience, posing additional risk to patients. With surgical models, novices can practice until proficient before performing on actual patients, significantly reducing the risks associated with limited experience. Furthermore, by rehearsing with models before surgery, doctors can explain procedures, expected outcomes, and potential risks more clearly to patients, increasing patient trust and reducing misunderstandings, thus promoting better doctor-patient communication.

Despite the evident advantages of medical surgical models in medical education, certain challenges remain in real-world application. First, the cost of models cannot be overlooked. High-fidelity models and customized 3D-printed models can be costly, making large-scale applications challenging for some institutions. Second, while model precision and fidelity continue to improve, differences in touch, temperature, and moisture from real human tissue remain. Simulating complex physiological phenomena, such as bleeding and vascular pulsation, is still developing, which may affect doctors' perception and judgment in real surgeries. Moreover, standardized models lack individual patient variability. Experience gained on models does not fully replace that on actual surgeries, and doctors must still adjust based on patient-specific conditions.

Looking ahead, advancing technologies are expected to enhance model fidelity, customization, and cost-effectiveness. The rapid development of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) provides new possibilities for surgical models. For example, VR technology allows doctors to operate in a virtual surgical room, offering realistic tactile feedback and visual effects. AR technology can overlay virtual information onto actual models, helping doctors observe organ layers and pathological sites more clearly. Moreover, 3D printing will drive the development of personalized surgical models. In the future, doctors can customize organ models for each patient, enabling precise preoperative rehearsals, which will further improve success rates and patient safety. AI applications will make models more intelligent, allowing real-time adjustments and simulation of complex physiological changes based on doctors' actions, making training more challenging and realistic.

In summary, the critical role of medical surgical models in cultivating surgical skills is evident. They provide risk-free practice opportunities, enhance skill levels, reduce intraoperative errors, and improve doctor-patient relationships. Although technical and cost challenges persist, ongoing technological progress will gradually resolve these issues. In the future, medical surgical models will continue to play a central role in medical education, advancing surgical skills and overall healthcare quality.