EDUCATION & TRAINING
Welcome to the Waikato Cardiothoracic Unit's Education & Training page!
At our unit, we believe that surgical education is essential to our success, and it is at the core of our ethos. Our goal is to develop experts in the field of cardiothoracic surgery and to provide the best possible care for our patients.
Our consultant-led teaching ward rounds focus on clinical diagnosis and decision-making, allowing trainees and fellows to learn from experienced surgeons in a hands-on setting. In addition to daily teaching rounds, we also hold active weekly sessions on core cardiothoracic topics and a complimentary weekly journal club. Trainees and fellows are also included in weekly thoracic and cardiac multidisciplinary meetings, giving them the opportunity to learn from a variety of specialists in the field.
We also offer regular simulation sessions that cover areas related to surgical technique and dexterity development. These sessions allow trainees and fellows to practice their skills in a controlled environment, with guidance from experienced surgeons. Our simulation sessions are an excellent way to build confidence and improve surgical proficiency.
Thank you for considering the Waikato Cardiothoracic Unit for your education and training. We are committed to providing a comprehensive and stimulating learning experience for all of our trainees and fellows. We are sure that the education and training opportunities we provide here will be valuable to your professional development and your future career.
CORE SURGICAL TEACHING
Waikato Cardiothoracic Unit runs an ongoing core educational programme. This weekly session is aligned with the FRACS and international training programmes. The interactive sessions cover the breath of cardiothoracic surgery.
ACADEMIC TRAINING
Academic training in Waikato Cardiothoracic Unit includes systematic literature critique, statistical methods and formal scientific writing. The unit has a academic governance structure that coordinates activity along the central themes of complex aortic intervention, rheumatic heart disease and team dynamics.
OPERATIVE TRAINING
Our opertative traniing programme includes dry labs, WetLabs and theatre based training. Our surgeons are comitted to providing both focussed training and opportunity. Students and trainees are taught a fundamental base of correct technique before application in the theatre setting.
