The 2023 International Conference for Emergency Medicine in Amsterdam hosted the first Cadaveric Procedural Skills Lab for the IFEM organization. 

Erin Simon, Vice Chair, TSIG

The 2023 International Conference for Emergency Medicine in Amsterdam hosted the first Cadaveric Procedural Skills Lab for the IFEM organization. Designing and planning for the lab began one year before the conference. Dr. Titus Schonberger (Netherlands), Professor Erin Simon (USA), and Dr. Agon Vllasaliu (Netherlands) were co-directors of the lab. Dr. Griegje Jelsma (Netherlands) from the local organizing committee provided significant administrative support throughout the planning process. Product support for the lab was generously donated by Teleflex. 

The procedures lab was planned for two sessions over one day. We prioritized securing a location accommodating over 40 attendees and instructors per session. Once Amsterdam Medical Center was reserved, we focused on commitment from highly experienced faculty. Fourteen faculty in total were chosen for the lab. There were six selected by the Amsterdam local organizing committee and six chosen from across the globe by the IFEM Trauma Special Interest Group. The instructors included the three co-directors, Professor Anthony Joseph (Australia), Senior Consultant Ankur Verma (India), Associate Professor Whitney Bryant (USA), Professor James Kwan (Singapore), and Assistant Professor Robert Stenberg (USA), Dr. Ewoud Ter Avest (United Kingdom, Netherlands), Dr. Lieke Van De Wouw, Dr. Iwan Dierckx MD (The Netherlands), Dr. Brain de Lange MD (The Netherlands), Dr Loes de Vaan MD (The Netherlands), Dr Ewout ter Avest MD PhD (The Netherlands) and Dr Mark Frederike MD (The Netherlands).

We also had additional teaching support from our sponsor (Teleflex), who sent Professor Christopher Ross (USA), and from IFEM with Immediate Past-President Professor Sally McCarthy (Australia). 

The procedural skills lab for the morning session focused on intraosseous and central venous access, upper and lower extremity nerve blocks, chest tubes, direct, video, and fiberoptic laryngoscopy. The afternoon session focused on escharotomy, cricothyrotomy, emergent amputation, venous cut-downs, thoracotomy, direct, video, and fiberoptic laryngoscopy.

Delegates from across the world participated for the lab which included the following regions:       

1. North America: 9
2. Africa:1
3. Europe: 35
4. Gulf Region/Asia:10
5. Oceania/Australia: 34 

Feedback provided on the lab from participants:

• Question: What was the best aspect of ICEM 2023?
• Answer 1: “By far the cadaver lab pre course, I really appreciated that!”
• Answer 2: “The cadaver workshop was excellent!”
• Question: Can you provide ONE example of how ICEM 2023 will influence your future practice?

• Answer 1 : “Some emergency interventions are not possible to train, the cadaver lab training/experience will make me much more confident if I ever have to perform some of the lifesaving procedures we trained.”
• Answer 2 : “The cadaver workshop clarified 2 life saving procedures for me.”