A surgical training system designed to help trainees acquire laparoscopic surgical skills at a rural Japanese institute

Purpose The Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System was established in Japan to evaluate safe endoscopic surgical techniques and teaching skills. Trainee surgeons obtaining this certification in rural hospitals are disadvantaged by the limited number of surgical opportunities. To address this problem, we established a surgical training system to educate trainee surgeons. Methods Eighteen certified expert surgeons affiliated with our department were classified into an experienced training system group (E group, n = 9) and a non-experienced group (NE group, n = 9). Results of the training system were then compared between the groups. Results The number of years required to become board certified was shorter in the E group (14 years) than that in the NE group (18 years). Likewise, the number of surgical procedures performed before certification was lower in the E group ( n = 30) than that in the NE group ( n = 50). An expert surgeon was involved in the creation of the certification video of all the E group participants. A questionnaire to board-certified surgeons revealed that guidance by a board-certified surgeon and trainee education (surgical training system) was useful for obtaining certification. Conclusions Continuous surgical training, starting with trainee surgeons, appears useful for expediting their acquisition of technical certification in rural areas.