Overview

ASSET is:

• Two days in duration 
• Conducted for 16 to 20 participants
• Taught by a faculty of surgeons
• Highly interactive and skills based
• Formatively assessed

By completing the ASSET course, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate integration of incision, tissue handling, instrument, suture and needle selection, and suturing/tying skills
• Practice standard precautions
• Safely practice electrosurgery
• Demonstrate traumatic wound assessment and management skills
• Demonstrate simple bone manipulation techniques
• Display competence in a variety of basic practical skills relating to different endoscopic environments and the mechanics of instrumentation.

RACS recognises that the ASSET course is equivalent to the Intercollegiate Basic Surgical Skills (BSS) course delivered by the following Colleges:

• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• Royal College of Surgeons of England
• Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland

Four modules are undertaken over two days:

• Suturing and dissection
• Tubular structures and electrosurgery
• Endoscopic surgery
• Musculoskeletal surgery

The modules are covered over the following sessions:

Session 1 - Surgical instruments
Session 2 - Knot tying
Session 3 - Needles and sutures
Session 4 - Standard Precautions: Barriers, Sterile Technique and Safety
Session 5 - Introduction to Incisions, Local Anesthetic and Excisions
Session 6 - Suturing - Principles and Practice
Session 7 - Electrosurgery
Session 8 - Advanced Dissection and Vessel Management
Session 9 - Handling and Suturing Tubular and Delicate Structures
Session 10 - Integrated Tissue Management Exercise: Laparotomy and Fascial Closure
Session 11 - Extensile Exposure (Incision and Dissection for Surgical Exposure) and Tissue Repair
Session 12 - Wound Management
Session 13 - Bone Handling and Plaster Skills
Session 14 - Principles and Practice of Rigid Endoscopy

This course includes content that aligns to the following surgical competencies:

• Medical expertise
• Technical expertise

The College welcomes partnerships with stakeholders in support of the successful running of the ASSET program. The College greatly appreciates the generous in-kind contributions made by sponsors each year to provide medical equipment and supplies for surgical training courses.

The College and the ASSET Committee gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions of the following sponsors:

• Applied Medical
• Ansell Healthcare
• B. Braun
• BSN Medical
• Bio Serve
• DePuy Synthes
• Dynek Pty Ltd
• Halyard Australia
• Jackson Allison
• Karl Storz
• Medline Industries
• Medtronic
• REM Systems

For an outline of the two day course please view the ASSET course program.