AUTHOR=Taremwa Moses , Basimbe Francis , Mubezi Isaac , Kakooza Francis , Oppong Chris , Akoh Jacob 
  
TITLE=Surgical skill retention among surgery trainees following standard surgery skills acquisition workshops model early preliminary findings, a mixed method study
  
JOURNAL=Journal of Abdominal Wall Surgery
  
VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/journal-of-abdominal-wall-surgery/articles/10.3389/jaws.2026.17125
  
DOI=10.3389/jaws.2026.17125
  
ISSN=2813-2092
  
ABSTRACT=BackgroundIn resource-limited settings, postgraduate surgical training often faces constraints such as limited supervision, inconsistent operative exposure despite the high patient loads that presents a paradox. To address these gaps, surgical training Workshops have emerged as a supplemental strategy to enhance hands-on procedural competence. However, the extent to which surgical skills are retained following such intensive interventions remains unclear. We aimed to investigates the medium-term retention of surgical competence in standard hernia repair among surgical residents in Uganda who participated in a structured surgical skills transfer program.Methodswe employed a longitudinal mixed-methods design. A purposive sample of 8 surgical residents, membership and fellowship of surgery candidates who were recruited to surgical skills transfer program and where followed up at three assessment points: pre-Training (D0), immediate post-training (D1), 1.5 months post-training (FU). Quantitative data collection will utilize College Of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) -validated tools, including self-assessments, trainer assessments, structured OSCEs, and surgical logbooks. Qualitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with a sub-sample of doctors and faculty mentors. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired and multivariate analyses, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative narratives. Data triangulation was used to support a comprehensive understanding of skill retention trajectories and influencing factors.ResultsThe study reported improvements in self-assessed and trainer-assessed surgical competence immediately post-training, with measurable retention in the short-term. Qualitative insights highlighted enablers such as mentorship and procedural frequency, as well as barriers like institutional workload and limited access to operative cases.ConclusionThis study generated important evidence on the effectiveness of surgical training Workshops in fostering sustainable surgical skills among surgery residents, this presents promising preliminary findings of a small residents cohort.Recommendationshort-term surgical intensive skills workshops should be integrated into formal residency programs in Uganda and similar low-resource settings, enhancing both skill acquisition and long-term competence.