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CIVIS OR Days: Resilience and Soft Skills in Surgical Training (Second Edition)

CIVIS OR Days: Resilience and Soft Skills in Surgical Training is a four-day CIVIS Student-Led Project and transnational onsite workshop that brings together medical students from four CIVIS universities: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Sapienza Università di Roma, University of Tübingen, and Stockholm University. Hosted at Sapienza Università di Roma from 3–6 March 2026, this second edition builds upon the 2024 initiative originally launched at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid under the title “Operating Room Etiquette: What is the Role of the Student?”.

Conceived as an immersive and practice-oriented experience, the workshop prepares medical students for their first surgical rotations. Through simulation-based exercises, structured role-play, scenario analysis, and group discussions, participants develop the communication skills, teamwork strategies, and professional awareness required in high-pressure operating room environments. The programme integrates academic rigor with experiential learning, fostering both technical readiness and personal growth.

A central theme of this edition is resilience—not as an abstract ideal, but as a daily clinical competence. Students explore how they respond to uncertainty, hierarchy, and emotionally demanding situations in surgical contexts. By identifying coping strategies and strengthening self-awareness, participants cultivate the ability to remain calm, focused, and effective under pressure. Complementary social activities encourage intercultural exchange and reinforce the emergence of a cohesive European medical student community within CIVIS.

Who We Are: The Transnational Medical Student Team

CIVIS OR Days is coordinated under CIVIS by Tina Fernández Nieves (UAM) and organised by a collaborative team of medical students and mentors across four universities.

  • UAM Team – Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)
    Mentored by Dr. Constantino Fondevila and Dra. Amelia Hessheimer.
    Lola Urzaiz, Paula Medio, Paola Treviño, Claudia Palomo, Paula Prada – 5th-year Medical Students committed to advancing surgical education and peer-led training.
  • SUR Team – Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy)
    Mentored by Dr. Gianluca Mennini and Dr. Niccolò Petrucciani.
    Ayoub El Kazdafi – 6th-year Medical Student contributing clinical insight and organisational leadership.
  • EKUT Team – University of Tübingen (Germany)
    Filippo Calarco – 6th-year Medical Student, bringing a cross-border perspective on surgical training.
  • SU Team – Stockholm University (Sweden)
    Mentored by Prof. Klara Bolander.
    Najoua Amélia Laajab – PhD candidate researching “Learning What It Means To Be Strong in Medical Education,” integrating academic research on resilience into the workshop’s conceptual framework.

From local to international

Originally rooted at UAM, the initiative has evolved into a fully transnational Student-Led Project within the CIVIS Alliance—retaining its student-driven spirit while expanding its European dimension.

Main Audience & Participation

CIVIS OR Days is designed for medical students across the CIVIS Alliance who seek structured preparation for surgical rotations and wish to strengthen their soft skills in clinical environments. While students enrolled at Sapienza University of Rome are particularly encouraged to apply, participation is open to CIVIS medical students from partner institutions.

The workshop will host 30–40 participants, including members of the organising teams. Interested students may express their interest by contacting the organising team directly.

Motivation & Educational Impact

Many medical students enter the operating room with uncertainty about their role, hesitant communication, and limited preparation for the interpersonal dynamics of surgical teams. CIVIS OR Days addresses this gap by creating a structured yet supportive environment in which students can rehearse real-life scenarios before encountering them in clinical practice.

The project recognises that excellence in surgery extends beyond technical proficiency. Communication, teamwork, professionalism, and resilience are indispensable competencies that shape patient safety and team effectiveness. By foregrounding these dimensions, the workshop redefines surgical preparation as a holistic educational process.

CIVIS OR Days is more than a workshop. It is a formative encounter with the realities of surgical practice—equipping future doctors not only to enter the operating room, but to thrive within it

Beyond individual skill development, CIVIS OR Days fosters cross-cultural collaboration and peer networking. Through shared learning and social exchange, participants build connections that extend beyond the workshop itself—strengthening the European dimension of medical education within CIVIS.

Practical Information

  • Dates: 3–6 March 2026
  • Location: Onsite at Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy)
  • Format: In-person workshop
  • Participants: 30–40 medical students
  • Language: English

For further information:

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