Poster2 - 09: ATTITUDES OF ROBOTIC SURGERY EDUCATORS AND LEARNERS: CHALLENGES, ADVANTAGES, TIPS AND TRICKS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ROBOTIC SURGERY
Simon R Turner1, Jessica Mormando2, Bernard J Park3, James Huang3; 1University of Alberta, 2Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, 3Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Background: Robotic surgery is increasingly important in many specialties. Accordingly, the demand for trainees to learn robotic skills is also growing. As the early-adopter wave of robotic surgeons now trains the next generation, the unique challenges and advantages of robotic surgical education are poorly understood.
Methods: To better understand how robotic surgery is taught and learned, we designed a 43-item questionnaire with 5 domains: challenges and benefits of robotic education compared to other approaches, training methodologies, trainees’ readiness for learning, and robotic surgery education tips. This questionnaire was delivered to surgeons and fellows at a large-volume robotic surgery center in 2017.
Results: 31 surgeons and 20 fellows from 7 specialties responded. Most surgeons had learned robotics on the job or were self-taught. Most fellows learned robotics during residency or fellowship. Both groups supported a wide variety of learning tools and strategies. Most felt that the best time to learn robotics is in residency (84% surgeons, 80% fellows). Teaching/learning robotic surgery was viewed as primarily having advantages compared to traditional MIS by both surgeons (7/9 factors favoured robotics) and fellows (8/9 factors favoured robotics), including speed of skill acquisition and ability of the teacher to control the case. Both groups identified mostly disadvantages compared to teaching/learning open surgery (surgeons 6/9 factors favoured open, fellows 8/9 favoured open), including higher intraoperative risk to patients while the trainee operates. Fellows had more positive views of their own readiness to learn and their learning approaches compared to surgeons’ views of their trainees. Surgeons frequently stated that the greatest challenge to teaching robotics was the need to give complete control of the operation to the trainee. Fellows frequently stated that surgeons who were still in their learning curve had limited willingness to have trainees participate in cases.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a shift from informal robotic skill acquisition by surgeons now in practice toward incorporation in training programs for current trainees. Understanding the unique challenges and benefits of robotic surgical education may allow development of formal training programs that are more effective, responsive to the needs of both teachers and learners, and safe for patients.