Performing reconstructive microsurgery is a unique challenge in terms of necessary skills, technology and training. Ideas and principles of microsurgery have changed in almost all surgical fields the patterns of thinking and have expanded the therapeutical possibilities. As general surgery is the initial step in practicing any of the surgical disciplines, many surgical trainees need to assimilate elements of other surgical specialties. We feel that microsurgery is useful in the education and information of the surgical trainees no matter what discipline. Therefore a complex microsurgical training program on live and cadaver tissue has been initiated since 1992 by the Romanian Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery. It consists of gradual stages of hands-on experimental instruction: basic, advanced (organ and tissue transplantation program and multidisciplinary program), individual courses, human cadaver and living swine flap dissection courses and finally clinical training. In the microsurgical courses the ratio is 1 trainee per microscope and instructor and in the flap courses is 2 trainees per operating table and instructor. Forty percent of the faculty and trainees are international. The average length of the courses is 36 hours. This standardized intensive training experience allows the surgeon to perform many times and in a short time the same surgical procedure, thus rapidly improving the skills and getting familiar with specific procedures. It emphasizes the principles of a good practice of microvascular surgery like ensuring a meticulous hemostasis, atraumatic handling of the tissues or avoiding suturing under tension, that are fundamental in surgery. Mastering microsurgical skills will allow the performing of complex experimental research on laboratory animals.