Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36253574›Full record

Trial reportJournal of robotic surgery2023

Virtual classroom proficiency-based progression for robotic surgery training (VROBOT): a randomised, prospective, cross-over, effectiveness study.

Arjun Nathan, Sonam Patel, Maria Georgi, Monty Fricker, Aqua Asif, Alexander Ng, William Mullins, Man Kien Hang, Alexander Light, Senthil Nathan and 4 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of robotic surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Hands-on Distance Simulation of Technical Skills: A Systematic Review.Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare · 2026
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Arjun Nathan *Division of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. arjun.nathan@ucl.ac.uk.
Sonam Patel *University College London Medical School, London, UK.
Maria Georgi *University College London Medical School, London, UK.
Monty FrickerNewcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
Aqua AsifDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Alexander NgDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
William MullinsSt George's University Hospital, London, UK.
Man Kien HangUniversity College London Medical School, London, UK.
Alexander LightDepartment of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Senthil NathanDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Nader FrancisDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
John KellyDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Justin CollinsDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
Ashwin SridharDivision of Surgery and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.

Funding

St Peters Trust 1165672Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS) UK 203145ZWellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Robotic surgery training has lacked evidence-based standardisation. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of adjunctive interactive virtual classroom training (VCT) in concordance with the self-directed Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery (FRS) curriculum. The virtual classroom is comprised of a studio with multiple audio-visual inputs to which participants can connect remotely via the BARCO weConnect platform. Eleven novice surgical trainees were randomly allocated to two training groups (A and B). In week 1, both groups completed a robotic skills induction. In week 2, Group A received training with the FRS curriculum and adjunctive VCT; Group B only received access to the FRS curriculum. In week 3, the groups received the alternate intervention. The primary outcome was measured using the validated robotic-objective structured assessment of technical skills (R-OSAT) at the end of week 2 (time-point 1) and 3 (time-point 2). All participants completed the training curriculum and were included in the final analyses. At time-point 1, Group A achieved a statistically significant greater mean proficiency score compared to Group B (44.80 vs 35.33 points, p = 0.006). At time-point 2, there was no significant difference in mean proficiency score in Group A from time-point 1. In contrast, Group B, who received further adjunctive VCT showed significant improvement in mean proficiency by 9.67 points from time-point 1 (95% CI 5.18-14.15, p = 0.003). VCT is an effective, accessible training adjunct to self-directed robotic skills training. With the steep learning curve in robotic surgery training, VCT offers interactive, expert-led learning and can increase training effectiveness and accessibility.

Indexed as

RoboticsRobotic Surgical ProceduresSimulation TrainingClinical CompetenceComputer SimulationCurriculumHumansProspective StudiesProficiency-based progressionRobotic skills trainingSurgical educationVirtual classroom

Identifiers

PMID36253574
PMCPMC9576128

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.