Internal hernia and small bowel obstruction caused by a linear cutter staple at appendiceal stump following laparoscopic appendectomy.

Commonly linear staplers are used to perform laparoscopic appendectomies. We report a case of a small bowel obstruction caused by a staple on the appendiceal stump creating an internal hernia <1 week after laparoscopic appendectomy. We discuss the available literature on bowel obstructions caused by staples.

A framework for professionalism in surgery: what is important to medical students?

Background: The purposes of this study were to develop a comprehensive framework for professionalism in surgery and to determine which attributes are most valued by medical students.

Methods: A framework for professionalism in surgery, consisting of 11 attribute categories, was developed. All 3rd-year medical students (n = 168) participated in a focus group and completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions about professionalism.

The development of a comprehensive school-wide simulation-based procedural skills curriculum for medical students.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to assess the effectiveness of using the Delphi process to create a structured simulation-based procedural skills curriculum for all students at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (KSOM).

Methods: The Delphi process was used to develop a list of procedural skills that students are expected to perform competently prior to graduation. Once consensus of faculty was reached, a needs assessment was performed to poll graduating seniors' experience performing each skill.