The Carter Altman Institute for Surgical Education

The Technical and Procedural Performance pillar advances structured, competency-based skill development across surgical, procedural, and perioperative care. Through simulation, deliberate practice, virtual and augmented reality, standardized assessment, and emerging technologies, the Institute provides clinicians with opportunities to build and maintain proficiency outside of the pressures of real-time patient care. The pillar is developing a more coordinated technical skills curriculum and competency roadmap that can support learners across career stages, from trainees developing foundational skills to practicing clinicians adopting new procedures and technologies.

Excellent surgical care depends not only on what an individual clinician knows or can technically perform, but on how people communicate, make decisions, lead, coordinate, and adapt together in complex environments. The Human Performance, Teamwork, and Leadership pillar applies human factors science, simulation, and structured feedback to strengthen the nontechnical capabilities that shape safety and performance in surgical and procedural care.

Programs within this pillar address communication, leadership, decision making, situational awareness, crisis response, role clarity, coordination, and recovery from unexpected events. The Institute is also expanding its work in human-AI teaming, recognizing that the future of surgical performance will increasingly depend on how clinicians interact with intelligent technologies as part of the care team.

The Educational Research pillar provides the scientific and analytic infrastructure needed to determine what works, for whom, and under what conditions. The Institute brings together surgical education, human factors, implementation science, simulation research, quality and safety data, clinical outcomes, and patient perspectives to create a coordinated portfolio of rigorous, measurable, and fundable work. The Institute supports investigators across the full research lifecycle, from developing research questions and study designs to regulatory support, data collection, analysis, dissemination, and preparation for external funding. This includes access to centralized research infrastructure, work-in-progress sessions, data and evaluation support, REDCap-based dashboards, clinical surveillance using claims and patient safety data, and mentorship for investigators developing educational and safety research.

The Community Engagement and Global Outreach pillar extends the Institute’s work beyond traditional surgical education settings by connecting surgical expertise with patients, caregivers, communities, schools, and external partners. This pillar focuses on understanding and addressing the factors that shape preparation for surgery, recovery, safety, access, and long-term health, with an emphasis on ensuring that education and innovation reflect the needs and experiences of the communities we serve. The pillar applies patient and community engagement, co-design, education, and partnership-based approaches to strengthen preparedness, prevention, and continuity of care. It also creates opportunities to connect surgical and trauma expertise with broader community needs, including injury prevention, health education, and access to high-quality care. Through local, national, and global partnerships, the Institute aims to extend the reach of surgical education while promoting more equitable, community-informed approaches to care.