Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET™)
Course Overview
Develop lifesaving trauma exposure skills in a single immersive day with the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET™) course at USF Health CAMLS. This intensive, cadaver-based experience combines focused case discussions with hands-on training in surgical exposures of the neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and extremities. Guided by expert faculty in a state-of-the-art simulation environment, participants receive one-on- one coaching, immediate feedback, and the confidence to perform critical trauma procedures when every second counts.
Date
April 13, 2026
Location
Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS)
124 S. Franklin St., Tampa, FL 33602
COURSE DETAILS
Description:
Elevate your trauma surgery skills through the American College of Surgeons ASSET™ course, delivered in the world-class simulation and surgical training environment at USF Health CAMLS. This intensive, one-day, cadaver-based course provides a structured, region-based
approach to mastering essential surgical exposures across the neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, and extremities. Each module begins with concise, case-based discussions that reinforce clinical decision-making, followed by hands-on procedural training guided by expert faculty. What sets the CAMLS experience apart is the environment in which you learn. Participants train in a state-of-the-art facility designed to replicate real-world surgical settings, allowingfor immersive, distraction-free skill development. Participants will receive personalized coaching, immediate feedback, and the opportunity to refine techniques with confidence. By the end of the course, participants will demonstrate technical proficiency in key exposures and be prepared to apply these critical skills effectively in real-world trauma settings.
Target Audience:
Mid-level and senior surgical residents, trauma and acute care surgical fellows, or any surgeon who wishes to undertake a review of this anatomy.
Learning Objectives:
As a result of participating in this activity, the physician will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of key anatomical exposures for the care of injured and acutely ill surgical patients.
- Demonstrate his/her technical ability to expose important structures that may require acute surgical intervention to save life or limb.
- Gain confidence in performing anatomic exposures independently.
Credit Information:
Claimed through the American College of Surgeons. 7.5 credits
This activity is approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Registration and Fees:
Participants must be at least a PGY3 surgical resident or an attending surgeon. Fee per participant $2,500 – Please contact fwhitaker@usf.edu to register.
Registration, Change into Scrubs, Breakfast
Welcome, Course Overview
Lab One
- Neck and Upper Extremity Injuries (Cases 1-2)
- Upper Extremity Injuries (Cases 3-4)
Break
Lab Two
- Exposure of Femoral and Lower Extremity, Lower Extremity Fasciotomies (Cases 5-6)
- Pelvis Vessels (Cases 7-8)
Lunch/REBOA
Lab Three
- Heart, Thoracotomy and Neck (Cases 9-12)
Lab Four
- Abdomen Trauma (Cases 13-17)
Post Test and Self-Assessment
Luis E. Llerena, MD, is the Medical Director of USF Health CAMLS and Professor, Department of Surgery at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.
He holds both national and state leadership positions: Surgical Director of the American College of Surgeons Accredited Educational Institute (ACS AEI) at USF CAMLS, ACS AEI Committees (Accreditation Review and Curriculum), Florida Committee of Trauma (FCOT) Vice Chair, and Florida Trauma State Faculty. He is a course director for key surgical and critical care curriculum, including Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®), Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM®), and Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET®), Stop the Bleed®, and the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) program. He is an FCCS consultant. Additionally, Dr Llerena is a trauma site surveyor for the Pennsylvania Trauma System Foundation.
Dr. Llerena received both his undergraduate and his medical degrees from the University of Maryland. He completed his surgical residency at the Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University in Philadelphia and UMDNJ – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Camden, New Jersey. He received his trauma/surgical critical care fellowship training at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, Florida. He is board certified in Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.
Dr. Llerena is a member of the American College of Surgeons’ Academy of Master Surgical Educators, master trainer for TeamSTEPPS® and the Patient Safety Education Program (PSEP), and Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator – Advanced (CHSE-A) by the Society for Simulation Healthcare (SSH). His main research interests include military medicine, simulation-based education, patient safety, and trauma education.
Additional Information
Questions:
For questions about course content, please contact camlsoperations@usf.edu.
Cancellation Policy:
Due to instructors, tissue and resources being procured based on course attendance, USF Health Professions Conferencing Corporation must adhere to the following cancellation policy.
- All requests for cancellation, transfer or refunds much be received in writing to camlsoperations@usf.edu.
- Cancellations received at least 31 calendar days prior to the start of the activity, a refund will be provided minus a $75 administrative fee and the cost of the book and shipping (up to $250.00).
- Requests for a transfer to another course date at least 31 calendar days prior to the start of the activity will be honored with no additional fees. The new course date must be within 6 months of the original course date.
- No refunds or requests for transfer will be provided if cancellation is received within (and including) 30 calendar days of the start date of the activity
- No-shows are not eligible for a refund or transfer.
- For internal USF participants or organizations wishing to be invoiced for registrations, your department or organization will be invoiced according to the above guidelines.
USF Health Professions Conferencing Corporation reserves the right to cancel this activity due to unforeseen circumstances, in which you will be contacted via phone and/or email to reschedule or issue a refund. USF Health Professions Conferencing Corporation is not responsible for travel expenses incurred by the participants in the rare event that this activity is canceled or postponed.