Medical Simulators: Current Status and Future Needs

The advancement in computer technologies and the transference of these technologies to simulators for medical education continues to be a driving force in medical education. The complexities of surgical training and the emergence of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) as a primary surgical mode have pushed the surgical simulator to the forefront of surgical education. Simulators are now developed by surgical specialty and surgeons may be required to have knowledge of multiple procedures associated with MIS. The advancements in robotic surgery have added a new dimension to the learning process. As medical simulation has mirrored simulation training in aviation, the development of unmanned aircraft controlled by an operator from a detracted computer station so advancements in robotic surgery have incorporated these technologies.