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Published on: May 20, 2018
Development of a Basic Robotic Training Course for Residents in General Surgery in the Netherlands
Frank Jan Voskens1, Johannes Peter Maarten Burbach2, Femke Julie Amelung3
1Department of Surgery, Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort, The Netherlands, fj.voskens@meandermc.nl.
Digestive Surgery
|June 13, 2026
Summary
A structured robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) training course significantly improved surgical residents' basic robotic skills. This program offers essential preparation for safe clinical use and can serve as a scalable model for future residency training.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Education
- Robotic Surgery
- Medical Simulation
Background:
- Increasing adoption of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) in digestive surgery necessitates structured resident training.
- Limited standardized basic RAS training programs result in variable resident exposure and skill acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a structured basic RAS training course.
- To standardize robotic surgery education and enhance residents' skills.
Main Methods:
- A two-day on-site basic RAS training course was developed and implemented.
- Curriculum included lectures, didactic sessions, simulation, dry, and wet lab exercises.
- Skill enhancement was assessed via pre- and post-course simulator assessments.
Main Results:
- Seventy-five senior surgical residents participated.
- Significant improvements were observed in overall simulator scores, task completion time, and economy of motion across all exercises (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
- The two-day basic robot training course effectively improved general surgery residents' fundamental robotic skills.
- The program provides crucial preparation for safe clinical robotic surgery implementation.
- This course model is scalable for future residency training programs.
