ArticleJournal of robotic surgery2026
Live, proctored robotic training for the novice robotic surgeon: outcomes and educational value of the Portsmouth Robotic Essentials Course.
Article in Journal of robotic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is increasing across specialties within the U.K, yet there is currently no formalised, national, standardised, robotic training pathway for resident general surgeons. The Portsmouth Robotic Essentials Course was developed to provide a structured, proctored introduction with live-operating, delivering a foundation for RAS training. Seven, two-day courses were delivered between September 2022 and March 2025. Candidates were required to complete pre-course and simulation modules. Day 1 comprised of familiarisation of Da Vinci systems with scenarios and simulations at Intuitive Surgical’s training facility. Day 2 involved two concurrent consultant-proctored, live robotic cholecystectomy lists at Queen Alexandra Hospital. We assessed skill acquisition using surgeon console and proctor intervention times. This was contextualised with prior robotic experience, case complexity, postoperative outcomes, proctoring methodology and structured candidate feedback. Sixty-one proctored live robotic cholecystectomies were performed, of which 3 were excluded, leaving 58 procedures for analysis. 48 candidates participated. Median console time was 46.5 min and median proctor intervention time was 5.2 min, with similar outcomes across experience levels. No significant complications (Clavien-Dindo grade > III) were observed. Candidate satisfaction scores were high (mean scores ≥ 4.8 out of 5) for quality, structure and educational value. The Portsmouth Robotic Essentials Course appears to be a safe and feasible introductory model for early robotic training, based on short term trainee-based outcomes and intra-course safety data. Although these findings do not address longer-term learning curves or imply independent practice beyond the course, our course supports the acquisition of foundation robotic skills and may form one component of a stepwise training pathway alongside continued supervised clinical exposure and further competency-based assessment. The structured, proctored live-operating format may help inform the development of regional training hubs, supporting equitable access, aligning with the NHS England and GIRFT robotic surgery strategy.
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Registered trials
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