title: Skill qualifications in pediatric minimally invasive surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In 2006, The Japanese Society of Pediatric Endoscopic Surgeons devised a plan to develop a pediatric endoscopic surgical skill qualification (ESSQ) system. This system is controlled by The Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery. The standard requirement for skills qualification is the ability of each applicant to complete common types of laparoscopic surgery. The main goal of the system is to decrease complications of laparoscopic surgery by evaluating the surgical skills of each applicant and subsequently certify surgeons with adequate skills to perform laparoscopic operations safely.
  
  
  METHODS
  A committee of pediatric ESSQ created a checklist to assess the applicant's laparoscopic surgical skills. Skills are assessed in a double-blinded fashion by evaluating an unedited video recording of a fundoplication for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial pediatric ESSQ system was started in 2008. In 2008 and 2009, respectively, 9 out of 17 (53%) and 6 out of 12 (50%) applicants were certified as expert pediatric laparoscopic surgeons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our ultimate goal is to provide safe and appropriate pediatric minimally invasive procedures and to avoid severe complications. To prove the predictive validity of this system, a survey of the outcomes of operations performed by certified pediatric surgeons is required.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification Committee, Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Tokyo, Japan. iwanakat-psu@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwanaka
authors.forename: Yasuhide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.forename: Atsuyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamataka
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nio
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Segawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terakura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Take
authors.forename: Ryuichiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yagi
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D010372:Pediatrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014741:Video Recording