Hands-On to Heal: A Scoping Review of Educational Design and Outcomes of Hands-On Workshops in Orthopaedic Surgical Training

Abstract

Ethical, legal, and economic considerations, alongside working-hour restrictions, have reduced opportunities for surgical training in the operating theatre, prompting the adoption of hands-on workshops as an alternative approach. These workshops provide trainees with a controlled environment to develop technical skills, decision- making, and confidence using a variety of simulation modalities, including synthetic models, cadaveric specimens, and virtual reality platforms. This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on hands-on workshops in orthopaedic surgical training and examine how their educational design and outcomes are reported. A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar was conducted for English-language studies published within the past 10 years, focusing on trauma and orthopaedic training for medical students and healthcare professionals. Review articles, letters, and non-English publications were excluded. Forty-five studies met inclusion criteria, most reporting improvements in performance-based outcomes following participation in hands-on workshops. Commonly used modalities included synthetic simulators, arthroscopy trainers, and virtual reality, with fewer studies incorporating cadaveric specimens. Reported outcomes included technical performance, procedural efficiency, and trainee confidence, primarily assessed in simulated or cadaveric settings. Findings were heterogeneous, and evidence linking workshop participation to direct clinical outcomes was limited. Resource considerations, including cost and accessibility, were frequently noted as challenges. Overall, the literature suggests that hands-on workshops and simulation-based interventions are widely employed in orthopaedic training and are associated with improvements in educational outcomes. These findings highlight the potential role of hands-on workshops in surgical education while underscoring the need for further research to clarify their translati