Surgery Training Requirements

Policy

All personnel who participate in the conduct of surgical procedures on laboratory animals requiring aseptic technique at the UW must be adequately experienced or trained to ensure that good surgical technique and humane animal care are practiced, according to the specific surgical procedures and species involved. This includes all survival surgeries and select non-survival/terminal surgeries. Non-survival surgeries of extended duration may require aseptic technique in order to ensure stability of the model and a successful outcome. The IACUC protocol must specify whether aseptic technique will be used, and this will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis within the IACUC-approved protocol. Non-survival surgeries that warrant aseptic technique also require training and certification as outlined in this policy.

Surgery training is initiated with the Center for Laboratory Animal Training Resources (CLATR) and must be taken by all staff performing surgery unless an exemption is granted by the Attending Veterinarian. In general, only surgeons with medical training (DVM or MD) are considered for exemption.

Surgery training will include broadly-applicable (multiple species) web-based modules and in-person sessions that will include aseptic technique, surgical approach, preparation for surgery, instrument handling, gowning and gloving (as appropriate), surgical techniques, and suturing. Training courses for aquatic animals or other unusual species may be tailored for the specific species in question as appropriate (e.g. aquatic animal surgeons may replace specialized aquatics training sessions for the standardized aseptic technique training for mammals). Initial surgical training may occur in a species other than the species on the individual’s protocol (e.g. individuals needing to perform surgery on USDA-regulated large animals will typically do initial training on rats prior to attempting certification on the desired species).

After successful completion of training, individuals are permitted to perform surgery only under direct observation of a certified surgeon. Aseptic Surgery Certification must be obtained prior to performing surgery independently. Surgery Certification requires the training described above followed by direct visual veterinary assessment of a surgery within one year of completion of the initial training.

Visiting scientists or surgery instructors with surgical training and expertise may be exempted from these requirements on a case-by-case basis if approved by the Attending Veterinarian.

Note: Remote site staff (e.g. Arizona Breeding Colony) may receive equivalent training from qualified trainers when approved by the Attending Veterinarian rather than participate in CLATR training sessions.