This is a three-day immersive course that combines didactic lectures with extensive hands-on training focused on the role of the first assistant in common cardiac surgery operating room procedures. Core concepts are introduced through lectures and then reinforced through repeated, supervised skills practice throughout the course.

Hands-on skills training includes:

1. Coronary and Aortic Procedures
   Construction of proximal and distal coronary anastomoses, implantation of an aortic valve, and placement of a straight tube aortic graft using a porcine heart model.

2. Endoscopic Vein Harvesting (EVH)
   Demonstration and hands-on practice using core EVH company systems and a proprietary APACVS-developed tissue analog. Participants will perform a complete EVH procedure on a synthetic leg model, including blunt dissection, branch mobilization and ligation, and vein removal.

3. Saphenous Vein Preparation
   Vein preparation techniques, including suture repair.

4. Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
   Instruction and hands-on practice using tissue models, with low student-to-faculty ratios to allow for individualized teaching and feedback.

5. Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB)
   Overview of cardiopulmonary bypass, including cannulation strategies and operation of the cardiopulmonary bypass machine.

6. Aortic Cannulation
   Principles and hands-on practice of aortic cannulation techniques.