Behind the pattern: General surgery residsent autonomy in robotic surgery

Robotic surgery is increasingly utilized and common in general surgery training programs. This study sought to better understand the factors that influence resident operative autonomy in robotic surgery. We hypothesized that resident seniority, surgeon work experience, surgeon robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) case volume, and procedure type influence general surgery residents' opportunities for autonomy in RAS as measured by percentage of resident individual console time (ICT).

General surgery resident ICT data for robotic cholecystectomy (RC), inguinal hernia (RIH), and ventral hernia (RVH) operations performed on the dual-console Da Vinci surgical robotic system between July 2019 and June 2021 were extracted. Cases with postgraduate year (PGY) 2-5 residents participating as a console surgeon were included. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was undertaken to explore the ICT results and we conducted secondary qualitative interviews with surgeons. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were applied.

Resident ICT data from 420 robotic cases (IH 200, RC 121, and VH 99) performed by 20 junior residents (PGY2-3), 18 senior residents (PGY4-5), and 9 attending surgeons were extracted. The average ICT per case was 26.8 % for junior residents and 42.4 % for senior residents. Compared to early-career surgeons, surgeons with over 10 years' work experience gave less ICT to junior (18.2 % vs. 32.0 %) and senior residents (33.9 % vs. 56.6 %) respectively. Surgeons' RAS case volume had no correlation with resident ICT (r = 0.003, p = 0.0003). On average, residents had the most ICT in RC (45.8 %), followed by RIH (36.7 %) and RVH (28.6 %). Interviews with surgeons revealed two potential reasons for these resident ICT patterns: 1) Surgeon assessment of resident training year/experience influenced decisions to grant ICT; 2) Surgeons' perceived operative time pressure inversely affected resident ICT.

This study suggests resident ICT/autonomy in RC, RIH, and RVH are influenced by resident seniority level, surgeon work experience, and procedure type, but not related to surgeon RAS case volume. Design and implementation of an effective robotic training program must consider the external pressures at conflict with increased resident operative autonomy and seek to mitigate them.