What is the impact of surgical expertise and how to get it?

Abstract

Every surgeon will experience a learning curve while performing a new surgical procedure. Developing surgical training will shorten the learning curve, with less deleterious effects on patients during this period. There are exciting initiatives in different branches of surgical training that will be applicable across all surgical disciplines. These involve the combination of didactic repetitive training, coupled with skills training where it is applicable. These initiatives will help to move the focus, from developing technical excellence for a few individual surgeons to a more widespread approach in the training of complex laparoscopic surgery, resulting in considerable health benefits to patients. © 2008 The Author(s).