Kamran Samakar, MD, Juan Andres Astudillo, MD, Robert Aragon, MD, Keith Scharf, DO, Marcos Michelotti, MD, Joanne Baerg, MD, Carlos Garberoglio, MD
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Background
With the increased adoption of robotic surgery for general surgical procedures there has been a growing demand for a comprehensive curriculum for resident training. We set out to create a defined robotic curriculum at our institution for all general surgery residents.
Methods
General surgery residents at all levels of training (PGY1-5) were included in the training curriculum. At our institution, we employ the da Vinci robot for use in the operating room and the da Vinci surgical trainer for virtual and inanimate training modules. All residents were asked to complete the online training courses available through the da Vinci corporate website. Once the online curriculum was complete, residents were then given access to the robotic trainer for surgical skills training. A passing score of 80% on each virtual training module was required for progression. Residents having completed these steps were then considered candidates for real-time clinical training.
Results
Resident completion of the online training modules and minimum skills competency was achieved successfully by all participants. Ongoing clinical skills teaching and case proctoring with objective outcome analysis is pending.
Conclusion
The use of robotics for general surgical procedures is a rapidly growing area of clinical practice. Resident training should ideally take form in a uniform fashion with set criteria required for progression through the curriculum. Our study describes a successful robotic curriculum developed at our institution for all levels of surgical training. Ongoing assessment of our training curriculum, with objective measurements of operative performance, will demonstrate the utility our proposed strategy.
Session: Poster Presentation
Program Number: P191
