This issue of the journal contains a thoughtful sum-mary by Birch and colleagues1 of a
consensus conference for the development of training and practice standards in advanced …

Despite the complexities of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), a Canadian approach to
training surgeons in this field does not exist. Whereas a limited number of surgeons are …

Changes in surgical techniques and public attention to surgeons' competencies in general,
created a growth in simulation-based training in the late 90's. The introduction of minimally …

BACKGROUND: There is a growing need for effective surgical simulators to train the novice
resident with a core skill set that can be later used in advanced operating room training. The …

Background Most of the commercially available virtual reality-based laparoscopic simulators
do not effectively evaluate combined psychomotor and force-based laparoscopic skills …

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique with significant potential
benefits to the patient, including shorter recovery time, less scarring, and decreased costs …

Abstract Introduction/Background: Laparoscopic surgery, when performed by a well-trained
surgeon, is a remarkably effective procedure that minimizes complications associated with …

Introduction Studies that have reviewed technologies including haptic feedback and virtual
reality indicate the usefulness of simulation. However, these technologies are not universally …

1. Birch DW, Bonjer HJ, Crossley C, et al. Canadian consensus conference on the
development of training and practice standards in advanced minimally invasive surgery …

Background There is an increasing need for efficient training simulators to teach advanced
laparoscopic skills beyond those imparted by a box trainer. In particular, force-based or …