Bioskills Education Laboratory

Established in 2000, the BSEL serves as an integral part of residency training at HSS by providing a simulated surgical training facility with equipment similar to operating rooms, allowing residents to become familiar with the myriad of devices currently used in surgery. Opportunities have been expanded to include allied professional healthcare training research and product development.

As an excellent alternative to standard commercial or university facilities, the HSS BSEL is available for industry leaders to use as sales force training of specialized medical instrumentation; it can also be used for courses and workshops for medical professionals. Procedures conducted in the lab can be performed on cadaver specimens - which allow for the most realistic training available - or on sawbones (plastic models of bones and joints). Residents and fellows find this extra training very useful to their overall medical education.

HSS’s Bioskills Education Laboratory contains four dry/wet stations that can accommodate 4-12 physicians in training on site. Each workstation is supplied with suction, irrigation, and electrical power. Adjunct training areas - including a conference room - to allow for large on-site training for 112 participants, are also available. The BSEL is electronically capable to offer educational seminars and anatomy workshops onsite at HSS and offsite at teaching hospitals and select meeting locations.

HSS Bioskills Laboratory seeks to develop future thought leaders, highly skilled in the science of orthopaedic surgery, rheumatology, and other specialties within musculoskeletal medicine, by providing state-of-the art educational programs for residents, fellows, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, surgical technicians, and industry experts by simulating surgical procedures (using sawbones and cadavers), promoting familiarization to surgical equipment and instrumentation, and developing new techniques that will enhance the skill sets of our physicians and physicians-in-training.

A milestone achievement in 2012 resulted in HSS Bioskills Education Laboratory achieving American College of Surgeons (ACS) Education Institute Accreditation three-year status in 2012. This accomplishment was the outcome of collaborative efforts with the members of the BSEL Education Advisory Committee and faculty leadership across all disciplines that facilitate core educational training in the BSEL and CAS labs. ACS Education Institute Accreditation recognition further supports our efforts to provide an innovative, educational training environment for our graduate medical education programs through a structured curriculum, maintaining a process of continual improvement by integrating outcomes measures to assess impact of learning forums. The standards of the ACS are aligned with the HSS philosophy of aspiring for excellence in education and training.

The HSS BSEL facility is centrally located, allowing for quick access, reducing time away from the office for physicians and allied health care professionals. Among the functions our facility can be used for are:

• Education and training on, and use of, specialized medical instrumentation and devices in development
• Courses and workshops for specialists in medical areas such as nurses, physicians, physical therapists, physician assistants, and central supply technicians
• Co-sponsorship of medical education programs to specialized groups, both nationally and internationally, for CME and non-CME Accredited activities
• Anatomy lessons and hands-on training for physician trainees and other allied health professionals

• Electricity, air, and suction at each laboratory station
• PowerPoint presentation capability and select surgical equipment and instrumentation; groups renting the facility are also welcome to bring their own equipment
• Consumables and personal protective supplies for the lab, including gloves, apron, masks, shoe covers, towels, etc.
• Catering assistance, available for breakfast and/or lunch
• A laboratory technician, available to assist with laboratory needs and final clean-up at the conclusion of day/courses

• Catering assistance, available for breakfast and/or lunch
• Conference area available for registration; arrangements can be made for staff to assist registrants in the Education Center

Group seeking to rent the BSEL Bioskills Laboratory and HSS facility, and additional Hospital for Special Surgery facilities, should contact us at 212.606.1057.