SERGS has been concerned about robotic training and education since the beginning, working on the development and refinement of a curriculum for several years.

The increasing number of robotic platform available on the market will undoubtedly lead to a diversification of the technical trainings provided by manufacturers, which are system specific, hence introduce discrepancies in robotic training.

It is our role, as a scientific society, committed to promoting robotic assisted surgery, to provide robotic surgeons with a common pathway in medical training, ensuring a standardized training on their robotic journey, to help them reaching proficiency in robotic assisted surgery.

The SERGS program has been developed to provide surgeons with a clear pathway to safe robotic surgery, from the idea of becoming a robotic surgeon to being able to perform robotic surgery safely, on the way to proficiency.

The SERGS Robotics schools aims to serve as an umbrella for all SERGS courses and education.

 

SERGS curriculum is a 2 steps programme:

Level 1 Assessment of  basic skills

(aimed at surgeons just embarking on their robotic journey, young fellows, residents at the end of their training)

Level 1 Assessment of basic skills is agnostic of the future system the surgeon will use.

Simulation based, introducing surgeons to specific robotic skills and introducing to the general principles of robotic surgery.

The surgeons who pass SERGS Level 1 are certified in the competence of basic skills.

 

Level 2 certificate

Level 2 is specific of the system the surgeon will use.

Level 2 is designed for surgeons at the start of their robotic clinical practice, to support them through the learning curve to proficiency. Based on courses, counselling, learning curve planification and peer reviewed video assessment of robotic practice and safety.

 

Step 1: The SERGS Intermediate course

Surgeon with completed and certified Level 1 can proceed to SERGS Intermediate course. This course introduces the system, its use and allows the participants to complete exercises in dry lab and wet lab. Trainees learn how to dock the system, the use of the instruments and special attention is paid to emergency undocking.  The exercises include wrist articulation, camera movement, use of energy, clutch button and the use of fourth arm. We focus on suturing and dissection especially in the wet lab. The course is concluded with an exam which contains task of suturing (30min) and dissection (30 min) and emergency undocking (less than 30 sec).

The surgeons who succeed in the exam can begin their mentored practice.

 

Step 2: 

At the surgeon's facility, the surgeons will perform robotic surgery under the supervision of their local mentor, or with support of proctors provided by the industry if they are in a newly equipped institution.

They will have to go through 20 cases of robotic surgery, which should be carefully selected in order to have a smooth adaptation to the robotic system interface (it can prove to be challenging to overcome the interface and technical aspects of Robotic assistance, they may not want to add surgical challenge to the technical learning curve in order to be quickly proficient)

The surgeons will make a logbook of all their cases.

It is strongly recommended to record every procedure for review and educational purpose.

 

Step 3

The surgeons should send:

1. a case logbook to info@sergsmail.org
2. an unedited video of a robotically assisted simple hysterectomy performed by them

NB: the video should be from insertion to ablation of ports

 

The video and logbook will be peer reviewed by SERGS certification committee.

After assessing the safety of the procedure and the completed learning curve, they will be awarded the title of SERGS Certified Robotic Surgeon.

 

SERGS and GESEA

SERGS is partner with GESEA in order to promote Minimal Invasive Surgery in Europe, and actively participating in the GESEA4EU Europe funded project.

Young surgeons, already in the GESEA program and certified with GESEA Level 2 in laparoscopy should apply for GESEA robotic certification (part of the level 2 certificate).

Learn more about GESEA

 

SERGS curriculum

The SERGS curriculum is aimed at all surgeons wishing to embark on robotic-assisted surgery, whether or not they have laparoscopic experience, if they don’t plan to apply for the GESEA global MIS certification process.