Lessons learned from long-term university training in minimally invasive surgery in Spain.
OBJECTIVE
Starting from our prolonged experience in university minimally invasive surgery training (1993 to 2005), we aim to analyze the most important differences in participants' requirements from these courses along this time span.


METHODS
Surveys' answers from the 6 first course editions (from 1993 to 1999, group 1) are compared with the last 6 ones (from 1999 to 2005, group 2), for a number of items including reasons to choose these courses, opinion about duration of training minimally invasive surgery (MIS) courses, responsibility of training MIS, and opinion about experimental training with animals.


RESULTS
Total number (N) of participants was 341, with 177 in group 1 and 164 in group 2. The most important feature was the number of hours of animal training (61% from group 1 vs. 75% from group 2, P<0.05). There was a trend to consider hospitals as more responsible (68.3% from group 1 vs. 83.5% from group 2, P=0.06) and the University as less responsible for MIS training (36.7% from group 1 and 18.2% from group 2, P=0.01). Laparoscopic training courses should last at least 1 year (76.7% from group 1 vs. 78.2% from group 2, not significant).


CONCLUSIONS
The time dedicated to practical training is highly appreciated by participants in training courses. Furthermore, we have not found many changes in trainees' requirements from MIS training courses over the last 12 years.
Ortiz-Oshiro
Elena
E
Servicio de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo I, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. ortosh@hotmail.com
Martínez
Cristina Pardo
CP
Ramírez
Joaquin Gómez
JG
González López
Pablo A
PA
Pérez
Cristina Fernández
CF
Carmona
Jose Angel De Diego
JA
Fernández-Represa
Jesus Alvarez
JA
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000379:methods*; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods; D008348:Manikins; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D023421:Models, Animal; D017145:Models, Educational; D009042:Motivation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors