Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Specialist

About the Program

The Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Study Program was established in line with the aspiration of Unhas, one of the largest universities in Indonesia, to lead in serving the nation, particularly in health development and, in this case, in thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgical care. The specialist program trains residents to become thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgeons who apply medical science responsibly and in line with government health policy. Residents are expected to gain broad knowledge of the field together with sound attitudes and skills, so that they can solve health problems scientifically. They are also expected to plan and carry out teaching and research, advance the field to a higher academic level, and develop personal conduct in keeping with scientific and professional ethics.

Strengths

The program’s flagship areas are diagnostic VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) and bronchoscopy in thoracic trauma and emergencies, and diagnostic arteriography in vascular trauma.

Areas of Specialization

Thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgery.

Learning Process

Learning takes place through:

• scheduled and unscheduled face-to-face sessions, discussions, presentations and assignments;
• written assignments such as referats (literature reviews), research proposals, a thesis and research articles for publication;
• apprenticeship based on evidence-based practice in the management of emergency, outpatient and inpatient cases;
• structured activities such as journal clubs, tutorials and mortality case reviews;
• specialist procedures learned through “see” and “do” (assisting, supervised and independent), and training in basic and advanced skills;
• teaching experience with medical students, primary care doctors and other health workers;
• e-learning;
• simulation of rare but important cases.

Throughout their training, residents receive continuous and progressively greater clinical exposure to thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgery cases. With sufficient education, experience and exposure, they develop into experts who practise evidence-based medicine with professional skill and conduct and deliver high-quality thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgical care. Teaching methods include lectures, case reports, journal and textbook reading, deskside teaching, referats, grand rounds, scientific presentations, surgical technique modules and bedside surgical skills teaching.

Career Prospects

Graduates are absorbed by hospitals that lack thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgeons. According to the Indonesian College of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, in December 2021 there were 171 such specialists in Indonesia for a population of 270 million (2020 census), or one specialist for about 1.58 million people. They are also unevenly distributed: 123 of the 171 practise on Java.