Bridging the gap in transplantation training: improving knowledge and confidence through a deceased-donor recovery course

Background: Deceased-donor organ recovery is a high-stakes procedure often performed by fellows with limited structured training. No standardized curriculum currently exists in North America. To address this gap, we developed an organ-recovery course and assessed its effect on participants’ confidence and knowledge. Methods: This 2-day course, delivered by international experts in transplantation and donation, combined didactic lectures with cadaveric training. We used pre- and postcourse surveys to assess exposure, confidence, and knowledge. We compared responses using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. We summarized quantitative feedback descriptively and performed thematic analysis on qualitative responses. Results: A total of 20 participants attended the course. Nearly half of participants (47%) reported minimal prior exposure (< 5 cases). After the workshop, participants’ confidence significantly improved (median score 3.0, interquartile range [IQR] 2.0 to 4.0, to median score 6.0, IQR 4.0 to 7.0; p < 0.001). We observed the greatest gains in evaluating and declining suboptimal organs (median score 2.7, IQR 1.0 to 6.5, to median score 6.0, IQR 3.8 to 7.3; p < 0.001), with pancreas recovery showing the largest procedure-specific increase (median score 1.9, IQR 1.1 to 6.2, to median score 6.2, IQR 3.3 to 7.7). Of participants, 84% reported acquiring new knowledge, and 79% felt safer applying skills clinically. Conclusion: A structured, hands-on course significantly improved preparedness for organ recovery. Its reproducible design highlights the potential for widespread adoption and standardization of recovery practices across North America.