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Published on: May 20, 2018
Comprehensive proficiency-based inanimate training for robotic surgery: reliability, feasibility, and educational
Nabeel A Arain1, Genevieve Dulan, Deborah C Hogg
1Department of Surgery, Robotic Surgical Skills Training Laboratory, Southwestern Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-9156, USA. Nabeel.arain@UTsouthwestern.edu
This robotic surgery training curriculum is reliable and feasible for surgical trainees, significantly improving their skills and comfort with robotic procedures. The program demonstrates clear educational benefits for diverse surgical specialties.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Robotics in Medicine
Background:
- A proficiency-based robotic surgical training curriculum with established validity was previously developed.
- This study evaluated the reliability, feasibility, and educational impact of implementing this curriculum.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability and feasibility of a novel robotic surgery training curriculum.
- To determine the educational benefit of the curriculum for surgical trainees.
Main Methods:
- 55 surgical trainees (residents, fellows, faculty) completed a 2-month curriculum including didactics and hands-on practice.
- Trainee performance was assessed via pre- and post-training tests using modified FLS metrics.
- Reliability was measured using inter-rater reliability (IRR) and test-retest analysis; educational benefit was determined by comparing pre- and post-test scores.
Main Results:
- 96% of trainees completed the curriculum, achieving proficiency in an average of 5 hours.
- Trainee comfort and skill with robotic procedures significantly improved post-training (p < 0.001).
- High reliability was confirmed (IRR ICC=0.96, test-retest=0.91, internal consistency=0.81), with significant performance gains observed.
Conclusions:
- The robotic surgery training curriculum demonstrates high reliability and feasibility for a large cohort of surgical trainees.
- The curriculum yields significant educational benefits, enhancing trainee performance and confidence in robotic surgery.
- Widespread adoption and further study of this validated curriculum are recommended.