Training and Credentialing Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery

Abstract

Modern urologic surgery, more than other specialties, applies new technologies to develop novel approaches and achieve better outcomes for age-old problems. Since the advent of laparoscopy and the more recent robot-assisted surgery, training large numbers of clinicians to rapidly adopt new technical skills has become a significant task. With the gradual acceptance of simulation-based education and thanks to an improved definition of training gaps, we have seen the creation of standards in technical skills training by the surgical societies. The growing interest in the world of simulation has led to the birth of a new field of science dedicated to curriculum design, optimization of training regimens, and objective assessment, based on collaborative effort between clinicians, educators, and engineers. A novel area of medical education aims at reducing learning curves and increasing patient safety because patients cannot continue to be the training platform.