Adopting new technology is crucial to surgeons’ training, says report

• Published in: BMJ (Online) Vol. 378; p. o1989
• Main Author: Hussain, Zainab
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Medical Journal Publishing Group 09.08.2022; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Genomics; Literacy; News; Pandemics; Patients; Robotic surgery; Surgeons; Surgery
• ISSN: 1756-1833; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.o1989

TEST (Future of Surgery: Technology Enhanced Surgical Training) Commission, convened by the Association of Surgeons in Training and the Royal College of Surgeons of England, was set up to identify unmet surgical training needs in the wake of the covid pandemic, map these to patient and trainee pathways, and identify potential technological solutions. Integrating technology enhanced training solutions with evidence to demonstrate effectiveness in surgical training (solutions should augment and not replace hands-on training) Ensuring that such solutions are sufficiently resourced, available equitably, and mapped to the unmet needs of surgical trainees and trainers in all specialties Ensuring that trainees and trainers are trained in the use of technologies (including digital literacy and proficiency, the basics and potential applications of artificial intelligence and imaging based diagnostics, prognostic modelling methods, genomics, and digital consent) Exploring the ethical considerations of any technology that has potential to enhance surgical training to ensure that patients are safeguarded and are not disadvantaged by its use. Esther McLarty, a member of the council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and chair of the Confederation of Postgraduate Schools of Surgery, said, “Although technology enhanced training will never replace real, hands-on experience, it is an important addition to training.