The importance of robotic surgery training in HPB fellowship: a survey of the 2022 AHPBA fellows.

The 2022 incoming fellows' expectations for their robotics training, as well as their perceptions of the utility of the surgical robot, are not well defined. Cross-sectional survey of 24 AHPBA fellows in 2022, analyzed with descriptive statistics and Spearman's rho. Of 33 current AHPBA fellows, 22 completed the survey (66.7%). Study participants had limited-to-moderate experience with robotics prior to fellowship (mean 2.5 ± SD 1.1; range 1–4). Most participants agreed that robotics influenced their fellowship choice (mean 4.14 ± SD 0.87; range 1–5), would make then more marketable (mean 4.77 ± SD 0.52; range 1–5) and improve job prospects (mean 4.68 ± SD 0.87; range 1–5). Of the study participants, 55% responded that robotics training is "essential" in fellowship, while 64% responded that it is "essential" for their careers. Fellows were only slightly satisfied with overall robotics training within their respective programs (mean 3.44 ± SD 1.17; range 1–5) The majority (73.7%) expect that robotics will comprise <25% of their training. Notably, the majority (75%) have no formal robotics training curriculum. This survey identifies potential gaps where robotics training could be improved for future incoming AHPBA fellows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]