title: Survey of robotic surgery credentialing requirements for physicians completing OB/GYN residency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe credentialing requirements for newly graduated resident physicians for robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery in Alabama.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study (Canadian Task Force classification III).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospitals in the state of Alabama in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Credentialing authorities at hospitals in Alabama that currently use robotic surgery in the field of gynecology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed an online questionnaire about credentialing policies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen of 16 hospitals (94%) in Alabama that use robotic technology for gynecologic surgery participated in this survey. All hospitals had a credentialing policy for robotic surgery; however, only 9 of the 15 hospitals (60%) had a separate pathway for physicians with recent residency training. This pathway consisted of an attestation letter from a residency program director in all of the 9 hospitals, a robotic case list in 3 (33%), and proctored cases after residency in 2 (22%). Five hospitals (55%) required a certain number of hysterectomy procedures (median, 5; range, 2-10).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Robotic surgery credentialing requirements in Alabama vary. Validation of requirements in best practices for robotic surgery by graduating resident physicians is needed.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. britte@uab.edu
authors: Britt K
authors: BK
authors: Erickson
authors: Jonathan L
authors: JL
authors: Gleason
authors: Warner K
authors: WK
authors: Huh
authors: Holly E
authors: HE
authors: Richter
mesh_terms: D000407:Alabama; D003406:Credentialing / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards*; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012371:Robotics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires