Fundamentals of robotic surgery: a course of basic robotic surgery skills based upon a 14-society consensus template of outcomes measures and curriculum development

TLDR

A standardized curriculum and high‑stakes testing are needed to train and certify robotic surgeons. The study documents the development processes and content of a robotic surgery curriculum. Consensus conferences among 14 societies compiled outcome measures and curriculum for a Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery program. A set of 25 outcome measures and a curriculum were developed and accepted, establishing a standardized certification process. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Background There is a need for a standardized curriculum for training and assessment of robotic surgeons to proficiency, followed by high-stakes testing (HST) for certification. Methods To standardize the curriculum and certification of robotic surgeons, a series of consensus conferences attended by 14 leading international surgical societies have been used to compile the outcomes measures and curriculum that should form the basis for a Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery (FRS) programme. Results A set of 25 outcomes measures and a curriculum for teaching the skills needed to safely use current generation surgical robotic systems has been developed and accepted by a committee of experienced robotic surgeons across 14 specialties. Conclusions A standardized process for certifying the skills of a robotic surgeon has begun to emerge. The work described here documents both the processes used for developing educational material and the educational content of a robotic curriculum. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.