Bioskills Courses

In recent medical history, many surgical procedures have evolved from open techniques to those that are minimally invasive. This is largely due to the advent of robotics. The first robotic-assisted surgery was performed in 1985, and the development of the popular da Vinci Surgery System occurred 15 years later. Since that time, nearly twenty years of continuous development has taken place. Now, many surgeons and patients prefer the robotic route for its smaller incisions and more predictable outcomes. At one time, robotic-assisted procedures were exclusive to cardiothoracic procedures. Now, more than half of urologic and gynecological procedures also rely on robotics. As a result, more physicians and residents are interested in training in it.

Robotics in Urology
Urology has historically been a technologically innovative field of medicine. The advantages of robotics have been demonstrated in numerous procedures, particularly cases of urologic cancers. These include:

Robotic Prostatectomy. Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy is preferable because it is considered a nerve-sparing, minimally invasive procedure. The precision of robotics is also associated with greater preservation of erectile function and reduced bleeding and scarring. Before robotics, radical prostatectomy was performed using open or laparoscopic techniques. At this time, robotic-assisted surgery is the new standard.
Robotic Partial Nephrectomy. In the performance of partial or total nephrectomy, robotics consistently achieves shorter operative and recovery times. Patients are typically released from the hospital sooner due to the precision of robotic-assisted surgery. The use of robotic and laparoscopic techniques has largely eliminated the need for partial rib dissections to complete the partial or total nephrectomy.
Radical Cystectomy including Intracorporeal Diversions. Regardless of technique, this procedure remains complex. However, the use of robotics has improved efficiency and patient outcomes, achieving shorter hospital stays, reduced pain, and less […]

Gaming and medicine are not two concepts we would normally put together. However, so much has changed in the methodology of medical training over the years that we are now in the era of virtual reality and online systems. Gamification is the term which describes the process of harvesting characteristics of traditional games and applying them to a non-game setting. This concept is increasing in popularity among medical schools as a way to increase student engagement beyond lectures and textbooks. Here, we look at three ways in which gamification is currently being utilized.
Healthy Competition
Several years ago, a professor at the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine developed a multiple-choice quiz game that could be played online. This game let students test their clinical knowledge of internal medicine and even earn “badges” for quizzing themselves daily. Since this early use of gaming in medicine, the quiz-technique has expanded into other areas of medicine, including obstetrics and gynecology and emergency medicine. Students play independently or in teams, and can play against one another or a “digital opponent.”
Virtual Reality Emergency Situations
Students at Stanford University School of Medicine may be exposed to a mass casualty experience thanks to a virtual reality “game.” This experience offers the student user 10 points within the storyline at which they choose a triage category and determine the appropriate intervention for their patient. Points are earned based on their response to their selected triage category.
Escaping as a Team
Escape rooms have sprouted up all over the country, offering people the opportunity to complete tasks and solve puzzles to find their way to freedom – all in the name of fun, of course. Recently, a group of residents and a faculty member at Thomas […]