Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to highlight literature regarding resident boot camps published across surgical specialties with a focus on urology. Herein, we discuss different boot camp iterations, their results, and the integration of simulation into their curriculum. We review program elements such as curriculum, course length, and efficacy as well as areas for continued investigation.
Recent findings: The field of urology has grown in both the breadth of knowledge and the complexity of procedures. With urology now being an integrated surgical subspecialty, interns often start on the urology service despite limited experience navigating this unique specialty. The boot camp model is one method by which interns and junior residents participate in consolidated training programs to best prepare them for a patient-facing role and the day-to-day demands of residency. Urology programs, both in the USA and abroad, have begun integrating boot camps into their training programs with positive results. Urology boot camps can be a valuable part of training programs for interns to quickly establish medical knowledge, skills, and efficiency. Boot camps should be easily accessible, have sufficient support from institutions, and provide effective training through various methods such as didactics and simulation.
Keywords: Boot camp; Intern; Simulation; Surgery; Urology.
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