For over 25 years, the University of Toronto Surgical Skills Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital has been a global trailblazer in surgical education. Since opening our doors in 1998 as Canada’s first comprehensive surgical skills centre, we have trained more than 225,000 health-care professionals, many of whom are now medical and surgical leaders of today.
Our mission is simple but vital: to provide a safe, world-class training environment where learners engage in repeated practise to master complex skills before actual implementation on real patients in the operating room.
A Legacy of Surgical Innovation and Patient Safety
The SSC is more than just a training facility; it is a hub for global standards and research.
- Setting Global Standards: We developed the OSATS (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills) exam, which is now the international standard for assessing surgical proficiency.
- Mandatory Excellence: Our "PREP Camp" is a cornerstone of training for first-year surgical residents across multiple specialties, ensuring they have the confidence and technical skills required from day one.
- Accredited Leadership: We are one of the few centres globally to maintain a 15-year "Comprehensive Level" accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Accredited Educational Institutes division.
The Vision: The Next 25 Years of Surgical Care
While we celebrate our history, the world of medicine is changing rapidly. To remain a leader in education, we must "hit the refresh button" on our aging facility to support the next generation of learners.
With your help, we are evolving towards:
- AI-Powered Learning: Using artificial intelligence to provide personalized, real-time feedback to residents, moving beyond a "one-size-fits-all" training model.
- Immersive Simulation: Utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) simulators to allow surgeons to practice rare and complex cases in a risk-free environment.
- Precision Preparation: Leveraging 3D printing to create patient-specific models allowing a surgeon and the team to rehearse and prepare for patient intervention especially for exceptional tumor or growth patterns that pose unique surgical challenges.
- Surgical Equipment: Increase and update the arsenal of surgical/medical equipment used in actual translational training such as Ultrasonography, Laparoscopy, and Hysteroscopy.
Your Support Makes This Possible
Philanthropy has been the heartbeat of Mount Sinai since its inception. Your donation directly fuels the advancements that allow us to provide compassionate, life-changing care to patients when they need it most.
How your gift makes an impact:
- Modernizing Facilities: Funding essential upgrades to AV and IT equipment to support new digital teaching platforms.
- Advanced Equipment: Providing new Ultrasound Machines and Laparoscopic Training Towers.
- Inspiring the Future: Supporting programs that range from training new graduate nurses to inspiring local high school and elementary students to pursue careers in healthcare.
Connect With Us
Your partnership is vital to our journey. If you would like to learn more about how your support can transform surgical training, please contact the Sinai Health Foundation:
- Email: portia.mohlmann@sinaihealthfoundation.ca
- Phone: 416-305-7780
In recognition of the top-tier surgical team led by Dr. Oleg Safir at Mount Sinai Hospital.