Yana Hammond
Papers
2
Total Citations
107
H-Index
2
About
Yana Hammond is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of surgical education and robotic surgery, with a primary focus on objective skills assessment and cognitive performance in minimally invasive procedures. Her major contributions include developing validated evaluation frameworks that distinguish between novice and expert surgeons during robot-assisted surgery, particularly through the Robotic Anastomosis Competency Evaluation (RACE) tool. Her seminal 2014 work on cognitive skills assessment, cited 92 times, demonstrated how metrics like mental workload and cognitive engagement can objectively differentiate surgical expertise, fundamentally advancing how surgical competency is measured. Her subsequent 2018 study on the RACE tool, with 15 citations, provided a validated method for tracking trainee progress in urethrovesical anastomosis, offering predictive value for skill development. Hammond’s work has been instrumental in moving surgical assessment beyond subjective observation toward data-driven, competency-based evaluation. Her research directly impacts how surgical training programs structure their curricula and how institutions certify robotic surgeons, making her a key figure in the evidence-based transformation of surgical education.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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