An International Perspective on Training and Setting Standards in Perioperative Medicine

Key Points

• Perioperative medicine/care is multidisciplinary and covers the whole pathway from moment of contemplation of surgery to full recovery.

• Perioperative medicine and perioperative care are synonymous in many countries (but not all). Base training (e.g., nurse, physician, or physiotherapist) will be a factor in determining scope of practice and thus training, but the knowledge base is common.

• A common curriculum has been codified and published (open source) by the International Board of Perioperative Medicine. This was based on preexisting training programs and taught Masters (MSc).

• Standards are largely from professional bodies (e.g., Colleges/Associations) but are being extended and complemented by younger perioperative-focused organizations (e.g., the UK Centre for Perioperative Care, The Perioperative Quality Initiative, and The African Perioperative Research Group).