RoboticSurgery4all: are discovery courses important for robotic surgery skills acquisition?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• Robotic surgery training faces challenges in cost, logistics, and simulation availability.
• Pre-congress courses are common platforms for surgeons to engage with robotic systems.
• There is a need for accessible and effective introductory training methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel, low-cost methodology for introductory robotic surgery training using silicone models in pre-congress courses.
• To assess the impact of this training on participants' confidence, interest, and readiness for robotic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Development of two "introduction to robotic surgery" pre-congress courses.
• Implementation of a new methodology utilizing sleeve/bypass, ventral TAPP, and inguinal TAPP silicone models for simulation.
• Evaluation of the course and methodology through a post-session questionnaire with 1-5 Likert scales.

Main Results:

• 21 participants, with 72.2% having no prior robotic surgery experience, attended the courses.
• All trainees rated the course as good or excellent, with strong agreement on the adequacy of silicone models.
• Participants reported increased confidence, heightened interest in robotic surgery, and readiness to begin their robotic surgery pathway.

Conclusions:

• The proposed low-cost methodology is effective for introductory robotic surgery training in a pre-congress course setting.
• This training approach is well-received by delegates and has a positive educational impact, enhancing skills and interest.
• The methodology provides an accessible way for surgeons to gain initial exposure to robotic surgery systems.