FLS Information Bulletin
FLS establishes a standard set of didactic information and manual skills serving as a basic curriculum to guide surgical residents, fellows and practicing surgeons in the performance of basic laparoscopic surgery. By mastering the curriculum and gathering of skills in this inanimate modality, it is expected that surgical residents and surgeons will initiate and carry out their performance of laparoscopy more effectively, with greater skill, greater safety, and with lower complication rates than previously. The specific aim of FLS is that the knowledge and skills gained by those who master the FLS curriculum will improve the quality and safety of surgical care delivered to their patients.
Components
The FLS Program consists of:
- FLS Didactic Curriculum (14 Modules, web-based)
- Hands-on manual skills tasks using the FLS Trainer Box
- Two-part (skills and written) FLS exam to measure your cognitive and technical skills.
FLS Didactic Curriculum
The online curriculum covers didactics, interactive patient scenarios and manual skills training, containing printable text reviews and practice questions.
FLS Didactic Curriculum- Instructions
Computer Requirements: High speed internet access, PC or Mac, speakers for sound
Technical Skills Training Curriculum
CLICK HERE for the updated FLS Technical Skills Proficiency-Based Training Curriculum
This curriculum is specifically designed for use in residency training programs in preparation of the skills portion of the FLS exam. The Training Curriculum outlined in this protocol is proficiency-based, whereby trainees are oriented to the materials and self-practice until expert-derived performance levels are reached. Residents may practice as much or as little as needed in order to acquire the validated skills incorporated into the FLS exam. This protocol ensures that all trainees achieve an excellent level of performance and has correlated with a uniform successful passing score according to the FLS technical skills testing criteria. This curriculum is recommended for all resident levels.
Assessment
The assessment component is a two-part, proctored exam that covers cognitive knowledge and manual skills.
The cognitive component is a timed multiple-choice exam administered via computer. It is designed to test the understanding and application of the basic fundamentals of laparoscopy with emphasis on clinical judgment or intra-operative decision-making.
The manual skills component evaluates skills based on efficiency (speed) and precision (accuracy) of the surgeon’s maneuvers using the FLS Laparoscopic Trainer Box. The test consists of five non-procedure specific simulation tasks incorporating most of the psychomotor skills necessary for basic laparoscopic surgery.
FLS Test Taker Registration Guide
FLS Manual Skills Guidelines
