Surgery

It is only fitting that our department of surgical affairs and the National Surgical Training Centre have an active research and development programme. The current research programme is focused on the following main themes: 

Surgical Training and Education

• Proficiency-based progression through surgical training availing of a combination of low and high fidelity simulators
• Defining the relationship between innate aptitude, skills acquisition and future performance as a surgeon (technical and non-technical performance) 
• Determining whether the completion of a simulated learning curve translates into the live operating room

Professor Oscar Traynor in conjunction with Mr Dara Kavanagh, Professor Sean Tierney and Dr Eva Doherty form the core of our PIs in this area. 

Surgical innovation

In the area of technology enhanced learning, the National Surgical Training Centre (NSTC) at RCSI has developed a moodle platform that facilitates interactive mandatory case based discussions. This platform has been incorporated into RCSI's first global surgical training website (www.msurgery.ie) which covers all aspects of surgical training. A comprehensive anatomy based-competitive serious game has been developed and optimized for use on the smartphone. 

Through ongoing collaboration with eoSurgical we are exploring the value of ‘take-home’ laparoscopic training simulators that can be used to monitor progression remotely. Mr Donncha Ryan is our lead innovator in this area.

If you wish to find out more about our research and development programmes, or if you wish to explore collaboration with the wider surgical community in Ireland then please contact Mr Dara Kavanagh, Clinical Lecturer and Head of Research, Department of Surgical Affairs, Royal College of Surgeons, 121 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Email: darakavanagh@rcsi.ie