Minimally invasive training in surgical oncology: Current status and needs assessment

Abstract

Utilization of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has grown significantly over the past three decades, changing the face of surgical oncology practice. Changes to educational programming have been more scattered. Surgical training has undergone a major transformation with duty hour restrictions, decreased autonomy, and increased technology in the workplace. Despite increasing exposure to laparoscopic and robotic approaches, there is a lack of standardized training in residency, fellowship and beyond. As a result, surgeons report feeling ill-equipped for independent MIS oncology practice. While long term data is limited, several models of MIS curriculum implementation exist in gastrointestinal, hepato-pancreatico-biliary, and colorectal surgery. The aim of this review is to describe the current state of robotic training in surgical oncology and offer directions for future research and practice.