Current practises and the future of robotic surgical training

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education and Training
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Robotic surgery is advancing, necessitating specialized training for surgeons.
• Current training methods and tools vary, presenting challenges and limitations.
• Effective surgical education is crucial for patient safety and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current state of robotic surgery training curricula, methods, and tools.
• To identify challenges and limitations in existing surgical training programs.
• To explore future directions and emerging technologies in robotic surgery education.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar.
• Keywords included 'robotic surgery,' 'simulation,' 'virtual reality,' and 'surgical training.'
• Full-text analysis of 112 selected articles informed the review.

Main Results:

• Robotic surgery training should emphasize proficiency, deliberation, and distribution.
• Simulation is key for skill acquisition and reducing mental workload in pre-console and console-side training.
• Validated assessment tools are available for evaluating operative performance.

Conclusions:

• Standardization of trainee performance assessment is essential for robotic surgery training.
• Robotic curricula and platforms have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
• Emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and augmented reality offer promising solutions for cost-effective, accessible, and advanced surgical training.