Definitive Surgical Trauma Care Course 2025
The DSTCTM / DATCTM course is the world’s largest international trauma surgical course. Designed by trauma surgeons and anaesthesiologists, the course is one of the most advanced live tissue skills courses in the world and is intended to enhance both the anaesthetic and surgical skills and trauma decision making skills of the participants. It is aimed specifically at surgeons and anaesthetists, senior trainees, and those who are involved in the surgical care of patients with major trauma, especially where expertise or resources may be limited, or they are outside of their “comfort zone”.
The Course provides training in advanced Surgical, Anaesthetic and ICU management and utilises cadavers for demonstration and practice of surgical vascular access in the neck and certain thoracic and limb exposures. A live tissue laboratory is used for the skills sessions – to practice certain complex procedures including the techniques of damage control / liver packing, abdominal surgery, thoracic surgery and treatment of haemorrhage from multiple sites, with multiple forms of haemostasis.
There are extensive sessions including lectures on newer techniques of access, surgical and anaesthetic decision making and critical care, as well as interactive case discussions on cases; based on actual problems which might be faced. Intensive hands-on teaching is an integral part of the course. The course is limited with an Instructor: Participant ratio of almost 1:2.
Venue: University of the Witwatersrand
Date: Wednesday 2 July – Friday 4 July 2025 (Wits Medical School)
Venue: University of Stellenbosch
Date: Wednesday 3 September – Friday 5 September 2025 (US Medical School)
Venue: University of the Witwatersrand
Date: Wednesday 3 December – Friday 5 December 2025 (Wits Medical School)
Requirements: Surgeons and Anaesthesiologists:
Must be Specialists or Principal Medical Officers
Must be actively responsible for the decision making and skills needed in the surgical care of patients who have suffered major multisystem trauma.
Registrars:
Must be in their final three years of training (Surgery: Post Intermediate Exam)
Cost: Specialists and Principal Medical Officers – R11 000
NB. SMO & Registrars in training: discounted 33% – R9 000
Courier shipping of the course manual (not included) – R300
CPD: Accredited by the Health Professions Council (HPCSA): 30 Points
Contact: Mrs M Donovan – Course Coordinator Tel: +27 (0) 73 343-2133
Email: dstc@milparktrauma.org.za or mdonovan@milparktrauma.org.za