Evaluation of the 10-year history of a 2-day standardized laparoscopic surgical skills training program at Kyushu University

Purpose Laparoscopic and open surgical skills differ distinctly from one another. Our institute provides laparoscopic surgical skills training for currently active surgeons throughout Japan. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of our 2-day standardized laparoscopic surgical skills training program over its 10-year history. Methods We analyzed the data on trainee characteristics, outcomes of skills assessments at the beginning and end of the program, and self-assessment after 6 months using a questionnaire survey. Results From January 2004 to December 2013, 914 surgeons completed the 2-day training program. Peaks in postgraduate years of experience occurred at years 2, 8, and 17. Suturing and knot tying times were significantly shorter at the end than beginning of the program ( p