Current postgraduate surgical training requires significant transformation, including early exposure to robotic and artificial intelligence technologies, to keep pace with advances in medical technology.
Does early exposure to robotic and artificial intelligence technologies improve postgraduate surgical training for future practice?
Postgraduate surgical training requires significant transformation and investment to incorporate early exposure to robotic and AI technologies to remain fit for future practice.
Postgraduate training in surgical specialties is one of the longest training programmes in the medical field. Most of the surgical training programmes require 5-6 years of postgraduate training to become qualified. This is usually followed by 1-2 years of fellowship training in a subspecialised interest. This has been the case for the last 20-30 years with no significant change. The surgical practice is transforming quickly due to the advances in medical technology. This transformation is not matched in the postgraduate training, there is minimal exposure to the new technological advances in early years of postgraduate training. The current postgraduate training in surgical specialties is not fit for the future. Early exposure to robotic and artificial intelligence technologies is required. To achieve this, a significant transformation of surgical training is necessary, which requires a new vision and involves significant investment. We discuss the need for this transformation in the postgraduate surgical specialties training and analyse the threats and opportunities in relation to this transformation.
Elnikety et al. (2021) conducted an editorial in Postgraduate surgical training. Transformation of surgical training (early exposure to robotic and AI technologies) vs. Current postgraduate training was evaluated. Current postgraduate surgical training requires significant transformation, including early exposure to robotic and artificial intelligence technologies, to keep pace with advances in medical technology.