Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Intensive laparoscopic training course for surgical residents: program description, initial results, and requirements

  • Published:
Surgical Endoscopy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona has created an intensive laparoscopic training course for surgical residents featuring a combined simulation laboratory and live swine model. We herein report the essential components to design and implement a rigorous training course for developing laparoscopic skills in surgical residents.

Materials and methods

At our institution, we developed a week-long pilot intensive laparoscopic training course. Six surgical residents (ranging from interns to chief residents) participate in the structured, multimodality course, without any clinical responsibilities. It consists of didactic instruction, laboratory training, practice in the simulation laboratory, and performance (under the direction of attending laparoscopic surgeons) of surgical procedures on pigs. The pigs are anesthetized and attended by veterinarians and technicians, and then euthanized at the end of each day. Three teams of two different training-level residents are paired. Daily briefing, debriefing, and analysis are performed at the close of each session. A written paper survey is completed at the end of the course.

Results

This report describes the results of first 36 surgical residents trained in six courses. Preliminary data reveal that all 36 now feel more comfortable handling laparoscopic instruments and positioning trocars; they now perform laparoscopic surgery with greater confidence and favor having the course as part of their educational curriculum.

Conclusion

A multimodality intensive laparoscopic training course should become a standard requirement for surgical residents, enabling them to acquire basic and advanced laparoscopic skills on a routine basis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. http://home.absurgery.org/. Accessed July 27, 2010

  2. Schijven MP, Jakimowicz JJ, Broeders IA, Tseng LN (2005) The Eindhoven laparoscopic cholecystectomy training course—improving operating room performance using virtual reality training: results from the first E.A.E.S. accredited virtual reality training curriculum. Surg Endosc 19:1220–1226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Grantcharov TP, Kristiansen VB, Bendix J et al (2004) Randomized clinical trial of virtual reality simulation for laparoscopic skills training. Br J Surg 91:146–150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gallagher AG, Ritter EM, Champion H et al (2005) Virtual reality simulation for the operating room: proficiency-based training as a paradigm shift in surgical skills training. Ann Surg 241:364–372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Hyltander A, Liljegren E, Rhodin PH, Lonroth H (2002) The transfer of basic skills learned in a laparoscopic simulator to the operating room. Surg Endosc 16:1324–1328

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Seymour NE, Gallagher AG, Roman SA et al (2002) Virtual reality training improves operating room performance: results of a randomized, double-blinded study. Ann Surg 236:458–463

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Mori T, Hatano N, Maruyama S et al (1998) Significance of “hands-on training” in laparoscopic surgery. Surg Endosc 12:256–260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Downes M, Cavusoglu M, Cenk, G et al (1998) Virtual environments for training critical skills in laparoscopic surgery. In: Proceedings of medicine meets virtual reality, vol VI, pp 316–322

  9. Scheeres D, Mellinger JD, Brasser BA, Davis AT (2004) Animate advanced laparoscopic courses improve resident operative performance. Am J Surg 188:157–160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Thijssen AS, Schijven MP (2010) Contemporary virtual reality laparoscopy simulators: quicksand or solid grounds for assessing surgical trainees? Am J Surg 199:529–541

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Fried GM, Derossis AM, Bothwell J et al (1999) Comparison of laparoscopic performance in vivo with performance measured in a laparoscopic simulator. Surg Endosc 13:1077–1081

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hamad GG, Curet M (2010) Minimally invasive surgery. Am J Surg 199:263–265

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge our industry partners: Covidien, Karl Storz, Berchtold, and Baxter BioScience for their support that has made the course possible and successful. In addition we thank Christine Nasser, Shared Price, Chris Hale, Frank Gregory, Tyler Welch, Bob Estabrook, and Brent Choquette for their assistance during the ILTC. We are also indebted to University of Arizona Animal Care Facility surgical staff members Paula Johnson, DVM, Kathy Stollberg-Zagar, Pat Payne, and Mandie Dunhan for their continuous collaboration, and to our scrub technician Julie Sullivan for her help during the course. Special thanks are due to Mary E. Knatterud, PhD, for her great editorial assistance, and Jo Gillerman for her continued support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Room 5344, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Hannah Zimmerman, Rifat Latifi, Behrooz Dehdashti, Evan Ong, Tun Jie, Carlos Galvani, Amy Waer, Julie Wynne, David Biffar & Rainer Gruessner

Authors
  1. Hannah Zimmerman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rifat Latifi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Behrooz Dehdashti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Evan Ong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tun Jie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Carlos Galvani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Amy Waer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Julie Wynne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. David Biffar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Rainer Gruessner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rifat Latifi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zimmerman, H., Latifi, R., Dehdashti, B. et al. Intensive laparoscopic training course for surgical residents: program description, initial results, and requirements. Surg Endosc 25, 3636–3641 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-011-1770-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-011-1770-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation