Development of a basic robotic training course for residents in general surgery in the Netherlands

Introduction The continued adoption of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) in digestive surgery has created an increasing demand for structured training of surgical residents. However, standardized basic RAS training programs specifically designed for residents remain limited, resulting in variable exposure and skill acquisition. This study describes the development and evaluation of a structured basic RAS training course, to standardize education and improve residents' robotic surgery skills. Methods A two day, on-site basic RAS training course was developed by the Dutch Robotic Surgery Working Group and implemented at the OLV Robotic Surgery Institute (ORSI) academy between June 2021 and October 2023. The curriculum included lectures, interactive didactic sessions, simulation-based training, and both dry and wet lab exercises. The impact of the course on skill enhancement was assessed using pre- and post course assessments. Results Seventy-five senior surgical residents with a specific interest in RAS participated. Simulator assessments showed significant improvements in overall score, task completion time and economy of motion across all three exercises following course completion: exercise 1 (p<0.001), exercise 2 (p<0.001), exercise 3 (p<0.001). Conclusion This two-day basic robot training course significantly improved basic robotic skills of general surgery residents. The program provides essential preparation for safe clinical utilization of robotic surgery and may serve as a scalable model for future basic robotic training courses within surgical residency programs.