Surgeons develop their skills during years of medical school, internship, residency and even fellowship. But, how do practicing surgeons keep up with new technology and new skills?
For conceptual education, surgeons learn the same way as other professionals. There are journal articles, seminars, courses, books and webinars. But for hands-on surgical training the best way is through use of a “wet lab.”
A wet lab is a mock operating room used for surgeon practice. The anatomy of a pig eye is closest to a human eye. So, after hogs are processed, the eyes are made available to ophthalmologists and other eye researchers so surgeons can practice and research can be conducted.
Typically, wet labs are offered in medical schools or at large medical conferences. Every so often, however, we are able to set up a wet lab at The Eye Care Institute.
In this picture, Dr John Meyer is shown practicing a new surgical technique on pig eyes in a temporary wet lab created at our Story Avenue office. Notice that as this is mock surgery, there is no need to use sterile procedures.
