Hands-on “Sawbones” Labs Build Residents’ Surgery Skills

Our residents recently completed training on tools often used in orthopedic surgery. These “sawbones labs” allow students to practice on synthetic bones or bone models and are just one component of the comprehensive training that residents receive during their residency programs.

In this workshop, activities were designed to address proper drill speed and depth control, coplanar osteotomies (a common surgical procedure in which bones are cut to resolve ligament issues), saw control and facility with Kirschner wires, also known as K-wires: thin, flexible metal pins commonly used in orthopedic surgeries and procedures. 

Labs like this offer a safe and controlled environment for our physicians to refine their skills, gain confidence and become familiar with the tools, techniques, and anatomical structures they’ll encounter during actual surgeries.