Cambridge University Hospitals develops remote surgical training programme
Posted by Ben Quinton. 13th July 2023
Cambridge University Hospitals to develop remote surgical training programme using LapAR and Totum
Following the recent acquisition of a further fifteen LapAR simulators by Cambridge University Hospitals, Gynaecologists across the East of England Deanery will be participating in a groundbreaking remote skills training programme. Trainees across the region have been provided with LapAR laparoscopic surgical simulators and access to the Totum digital surgery platform to use for remote skills training.
The pilot programme will be conducted over a three-month period and aims to assess the impact of remote skills training through objective performance metrics and self-reported confidence scores. The programme will have a phased progression of skills development, starting with the part proxy tasks of LapPass and progressing into full procedure simulations including salpingectomy, salpingostomy and vaginal vault closure, ensuring tasks are aligned to RCOG curriculum.
The study provides gynaecology trainees with an opportunity to practice and improve their laparoscopic surgical abilities using LapAR simulators in a remote setting, removing bottle necks to traditional approaches to hands on skills training. The comparison of metrics before and after the training program will offer valuable insights into the impact of this approach on trainees’ skill development and proficiency.
Saikat Banerjee Consultant Gynaecologist and Minimal Access Reproductive Surgeon, CEES-U Cambridge Endometriosis, Ensoscopic Surgery Unit, stated
Having access to the LapAR and Totum platforms gives us a valuable opportunity to enhance simulation training. It offers a realistic and immersive environment for trainees to practice and refine their laparoscopic skills and allow trainers the ability to successfully track their progress.
The inclusion of a video review process in Totum, allows faculty to provide subjective commentary and remote certification of tasks, adding another layer of evaluation. The combination of objective metrics and subjective feedback offers a comprehensive evaluation of trainees’ performance during surgical simulations. Consultants can provide detailed insights, observations, and recommendations based on their expertise, further enhancing the training process.
Clinical Excellence Lead at Inovus Medical, Dr David Rawaf commented
This is a wonderful opportunity to provide further evidence of Kirkpatrick levels 1 & 2 achievement in this novel approach to simulation training. We will all be looking forward to hearing the outcomes of this study, which looks bolster the construct, content and face validity of the Totum and LapAR Ecosystem.