Robotic surgery is one of the fastest growing surgical techniques in the United States, yet there is not board approved curriculum to certify that a physicians can perform basic robotic surgery. Florida Hospital’s Nicholson Center is making strides to create that curriculum through a collaboration of robotic surgery experts from around the country. It is all part of the Nicholson Center’s $4.2 million Department of Defense (DOD) Grant that is being used to revolutionize civilian and military capabilities in surgical robotic research.
One of the three pillars to the grant is to create a standardized robotic surgery curriculum across all specialties. That process began recently with a Consensus Conference at Florida Hospital’s Nicholson Center. This two day conference consisted of 20 robotic surgeons across the specialties of gynecology, urology, gastroenterology and cardio-thoracic robotic surgery. These surgeons were selected from within their respective medical societies to join this Consensus Conference group and develop this curriculum.
“We made great strides in coming up with a standard curriculum for robotic surgery,” said Roger Smith, PhD, Florida Hospital Nicholson Center Chief Technology Officer. “We have come to an agreement on the tasks that future surgeons need to master before they are allowed to perform robotic surgery. There is more that must be decided and approved, but this was an excellent first step.”