ROBECS one: feasibility study of a structured robotic curriculum and a proficiency-based framework

Robotic surgery is increasingly integrated into surgical practice, yet structured, benchmark-driven simulation training remains limited for general surgery trainees. Proficiency-based progression (PBP) offers a practical, specialty-tested approach for structuring robotic surgical training around demonstrated performance rather than case numbers, but standardized PBP curricula for general surgery robotic training remain underdeveloped. This study aimed to test the feasibility of a structured, simulation-based robotic training and, building on this, to develop a preliminary proficiency-based approach whose benchmarks can be formally evaluated in future studies. We conducted a prospective, single-center pilot feasibility study of a structured robotic simulation curriculum over two weeks, combining virtual reality simulation and dry-lab training on the da Vinci Xi system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Advanced and novice robotic surgeons completed stepwise training sessions targeting core robotic skills and procedural tasks. Feasibility was defined by successful implementation within the timeframe, completion of sessions, and participant acceptance, assessed informally; the curriculum was subsequently structured into skill modules with proposed proficiency benchmarks. The curriculum was successfully implemented within the planned two-week timeframe, with six advanced and fifteen novice robotic surgeons participating. The curriculum was structured into six sequential modules, representing key technical and non-technical skills in robotic surgical practice, each with proposed proficiency benchmarks. This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of a structured robotic simulation curriculum in general surgery. The proposed benchmark-driven structure may inform the development of standardized robotic simulation curricula for general surgery training programs, pending further validation against clinical performance.