Innovations and trends in hepatobiliary surgery education: Embracing technological advancements for enhanced surgical training

The landscape of hepatobiliary surgical education has undergone a significant transformation with the integration of advanced technologies such as three-dimensional modeling, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. This review synthesizes recent advancements in surgical education, examining the role of these technologies in improving anatomical understanding, surgical skill acquisition, and overall trainee engagement. Evidence from randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and cohort studies shows that immersive training tools, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and haptic feedback, outperform traditional apprenticeship methods in fostering cognitive and psychomotor skills. Artificial intelligence applications provide real-time feedback, further enhancing learning efficiency. However, these technologies should complement, rather than replace, traditional hands-on training. Some challenges remain to be addressed, such as high costs, infrastructure requirements, and limited long-term validation of these technologies. The review concludes that while these innovations offer promising educational benefits, further research is needed to standardize their application and evaluate their long-term impact on surgical outcomes.