ACS-AEI Awards and Activities

IRCAD 3: A Brand-New Facility Dedicated to Surgical ROBOTS in Strasbourg, France

On October 15, 2021, the IRCAD inaugurated its new facility extension, IRCAD 3, which is dedicated to surgical robotics. This is a milestone in IRCAD history and in the evolution of robotic surgery in terms of training and research.

The platform currently accommodates six Medtronic robots (four Hugo™ robots for laparoscopic surgery, one Mazor™ robot for robot-assisted spine surgery, and one Stealth Autoguide™ cranial robotic guidance platform robot for intracerebral navigation) and four Versius™ video-assisted surgical robotic systems (CMR Surgical). This outstanding platform is an add-on to the 12 da Vinci™ surgical robotic systems (Intuitive Surgical) already available.

Professor Nicolas Demartines in the new auditorium of IRCAD 3. Courtesy of IRCAD.

Professors, surgeons, and industrials celebrating the official opening of IRCAD 3. Courtesy of IRCAD.

University of Toronto Surgical Skills Centre and SimSinai Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON

A Ukrainian-Swiss-Canadian Connection

In summer 2021, despite COVID-19-related restrictions, SimSinai was privileged to participate in the international initiative supported by the Ukrainian-Swiss project, "Medical Education Development," headed by Mr. Martin Raab, Senior Public Health Specialist and Project Head, Digital Health Unit, at the Swiss Centre for International Health. On the Ukrainian side, the project was led by Dr. Tetiana Stepurko, assistant professor at the School of Public Health, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Dr. Andrii Tkachenko, assistant professor, department of obstetrics and gynecology, and acting director of the Centre for Medical Simulation and Training (CEMSIT) of the Shupyk National Medical Academy of Post-Graduate Education in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Dr. Perelman monitoring a scenario in Ukraine from SimSinai in Toronto. Courtesy of SimSinai Centre.

The course was designed for educators who wish to pursue dedicated training and develop their competencies in simulation-based education.

Thirty-four educators from six Ukrainian medical universities took part in a 16-hour immersive course with a heavy experiential component. Learners began to develop and master the practical skills that could be immediately applied on the job, including the scenario development and debriefing.

SimSinai and Surgical Skills Centre staff applied their ingenuity and used Zoom technology, which allowed participants in Ukraine to be team leaders in the high-fidelity simulation scenarios rolled out in the SimSinai Centre with "real" teams, which included a Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking RN and MD. All 32 participants indicated that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience and that it was well structured. All of the participants agreed that the course offered a unique opportunity to interact with and productively learn from colleagues from multiple institutions simultaneously. Thirty-three out of 34 responders stated that they obtained knowledge and skills applicable to their practice, enabling them to start using simulation technology.