The most important exercise prior to doing actual surgery is the completion of the preoperative template. Its tangible structure reflects the amount of preparation trainees and their attending pour into for the success of the procedure. The discipline allotted for the task offsets incorrect fracture configuration, considers the best approach, and places value in hardware and implant preparation. The practice ultimately decreases varying degrees of surgical morbidities and time delay in the operating theater. In this area of practice, there is a window for innovation and the invitation to discover is wide open. A progressive timeline showing the evolution of preoperative templating in one institution will be shared, beginning with the classic exercise of templating on paper, to using an app, then with the considerable augmentation brought about by 3D printing.
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