Foundations of Robotic Surgery online course launched

Foundations of Robotic Surgery online course

Professor Tony Costello

The International Medical Robotics Academy (IMRA) is trailblazing in the field of robotic surgical training. Among other courses, the academy offers the Foundations of Robotic Surgery—a short online course, that introduces participants to theory and principles of robotic surgery in preparation for safe robotic surgical practice. Students are instructed by a faculty of expert robotic surgeons, as well as worldclass aviation and medical simulation educators via lectures, instructional videos, and assessments. The course is tailored for pre-SET, SET 1 and SET 2 Trainees. It’s also designed for qualified surgeons who are new in regard to robotics and are commencing robotic surgery practice. Foundations of Robotic Surgery is the first online robotic surgery course of its kind worldwide and is endorsed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)—the first credentialing body to recognise this type of training. Before this accreditation, the robot vendor provided all robotic education. Now surgeons can work with the vendors to provide more comprehensive surgical training. Professor Tony Costello is IMRA’s Founder, Executive Director, and CEO. He is an Emeritus Professor of Urology and a Robotic Surgeon. Now retired as a urologist, he is focused on developing the curriculum to train the next generation of surgeons in digital surgery through the academy. At IMRA, based in Melbourne, Professor Costello and his team have developed a curriculum for a linear four-pillared path to proficiency in robotics, which surgeons using robots will eventually need. “We are putting a supercomputer between the surgeon and the patient to make the surgery easier and reduce complications. The next generation of surgeons must be trained to work with robots.” Professor Costello pioneered robotic surgery in Australia, performing the first radical prostatectomy using robotics at Epworth Hospital in 2003. He has performed more than 2500 robotic procedures, and trained more than 50 international robotic surgeons, who qualified after committing to a year for a Fellowship in robotics. “I soon realised that type of training wasn’t going to fly,” Professor Costello said. “If robots were going where I thought they would in the future—diffusing to all the surgical specialties—we needed to develop a broad, accessible curriculum to train multiple surgeons in multiple disciplines.” Following a successful completion of IMRA’s revolutionary Foundations of Robotic Surgery online course, surgeons proceed to simulation and virtual reality (VR) education using proficiency-based progression, followed by 3D-narrated robotic surgery video instruction. Once these tasks are completed satisfactorily, IMRA provides low and high fidelity synthetic human organ models to teach specific surgeries, which can be scored through video as a measure of robotic surgical proficiency. Synthetic human organ models replace the use of live animals and cadavers for training, as they offer repetitive surgical training to proficiency, unlike animals and cadavers, which only allow a single episode experience at very high cost. Professor Costello says that robotassisted surgery makes a surgeon’s job easier. “You can see better, you are more dexterous, and you can go places you can’t go with open surgery. Before robotics, we used to do some parts of surgeries blind; you had to use your hands and do it by feel, particularly with prostate cancer removal.” Working with a robot offers better ergonomics, Professor Costello said. Open surgery can require a surgeon to stand in awkward positions for hours, straining their neck and back in particular. Assisted by a robot, it’s less tiring for the operator. For the patient, robot-assisted surgery is minimally invasive and allows more precision, resulting in shorter hospital stays, lower complication rates, less blood loss, and faster return to normal activity. This results in cost savings for patients and the health system. Artificial intelligence (AI) will play a useful role in robotic surgery as an educational tool. IMRA is developing algorithms so that the technically difficult parts of surgery can be measured for proficiency. Will robots replace surgeons one day? “It’s important to clarify that the robot is a slave to the master,” Professor Costello said. “It can’t be autonomous. You still need human decision-making capacity

but there may be areas in surgery where some simpler parts are autonomous.” High capital cost and instrument cost have been barriers for acquisition of robot technology in the public sector, but Professor Costello thinks most public hospitals in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand will be able to afford the technology within five years. Until 2021, the price of robotic technology was high but the market has opened up and there are now three new robotic platforms available in our two countries, which is reducing capital cost. “Costs will come down further with simpler types of robots. There are already robots being built for specific surgeries like microsurgery, ophthalmology, and hysterectomy in gynaecology. What we are seeing now is nothing compared to what we’ll see in robot-assisted surgery in 10 years.” Professor Costello thinks almost all thoraco-abdominal and pelvic surgery will eventually be performed using robotics. There is widespread use of robotic guidance systems in orthopaedics already. Professor Costello believes roboticassisted surgery is the way of the near future and that all surgeons will need to have proficiency in basic robotics. “By 2032, I think there’ll be a robot in every operating room.” IMRA’s Foundations of Robotic Surgery online course, endorsed by RACS, is an excellent place to start building robot literacy in preparation for the inevitable shift in how surgeons work.

Foundations of Robotic Surgery

Duration: 10-15 hours to be completed over two to four weeks

How: Online course with 11 modules, using lectures, instructional videos, and assessments Components: robot technology, safety, robot setup and fundamental operating skills, pathways to competency, nontechnical skills

CPD: 10 points allocated Cost: AUD$1250 More: https://bit.ly/3eGKrgS

Foundations of Robotic Surgery

IMRA and RACS are proud to announce the launch of Foundations of Robotic Surgery, a course designed by surgeons, for surgeons that prepares you for the robotic surgery operating room of the future.

Enrolments now open

Educate, Innovate, Inspire.

Image caption