Choosing a suturing course in Australia: a guide for GPs and junior doctors

Why supervision ratio matters most

Suturing is a motor skill. Watching a demonstration helps, but technique improves fastest when an experienced surgeon corrects your needle angle, bite depth and tension as you work. In large workshops with one tutor per 10–15 people, most participants get only a few minutes of direct feedback.

A ratio of 1:4 means a surgeon can watch every closure you do and correct it in real time.

Checklist: what a good course should include

• Wound assessment — deciding what to close, what to leave, and what to refer
• Preparation — local anaesthesia, irrigation, debridement and instrument handling
• Core techniques — simple interrupted, vertical and horizontal mattress, subcuticular
• Advanced closure — tension, dog-ears, facial and hand considerations
• Troubleshooting — dehiscence, infection, poor scarring and when to escalate
• Enough practice time on skin models to repeat each technique many times
• Individual feedback, not just a certificate for attendance

Questions to ask before you book

• Who teaches, and are they practising surgeons?
• How many participants per faculty member?
• How many hours are hands-on versus lecture?
• Are instruments and materials provided?
• Can the course be logged for CPD?

Common questions

Do GPs need a suturing course?

Many GPs, particularly in rural and urgent care settings, manage lacerations and skin procedures regularly. A structured course refreshes technique and improves cosmetic outcomes and confidence, especially for facial and higher-tension wounds.

How long is a practical suturing course?

Most comprehensive in-person courses run a full day. Shorter half-day workshops usually cover basic techniques only.

Can I practise on real patients during a course?

Most courses use synthetic skin pads or animal tissue models, which let you repeat techniques safely and receive immediate correction.