Background: The European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) strives to be a leader in promoting the development and expansion of minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Part of the association's mission statement is "to become an information hub for all practitioners of MIS". It is therefore important that the education segment of the association continues to be actively monitored and updated to ensure this mission statement is met. This project aimed to understand the trainees requirement in fulfilling this role, and to develop an practical action plan to ensure such requirements are adequately met.
Methods: Two sequential questionnaires were sent to all members of the EAES. The questionnaires sought to understand the demographics of the EAES membership, and their training requirements. This followed a Delphi methodology. The data collected included training status, level of competence in laparoscopic surgery and tools needed for improving laparoscopic skills.
Results: Four hundred and sixty-five responded to the first survey, and 209 responded to the second survey. There were 112 trainees (24.1%) in the first round. More than 50% of trainees were less than 8 years from graduation from medical school. Only 162 (34.8%) of respondents performed MIS in more than half their practice. Videos of common procedures were ranked the highest in terms of what trainees required to help improve their laparoscopic skills, followed by e-learning modules.
Conclusion: There is a significant training gap identified amongst the trainee population of the EAES with regards to MIS training. Trainees were not performing MIS enough for them to feel confident with their skills. The EAES could fulfill this training requirement via expertly curated videos, and e-learning modules written by senior specialists.
Keywords: Laparoscopic surgical skills; Laparoscopy; Minimally invasive surgery; Surgical education.