Professor Small Animal Surgery Washington State University Pullman, Washington
Minimally invasive surgery requires training in both didactic and manual skills. As there is minimal overlap between open surgery and laparoscopic/thoracoscopic surgery, specific training is necessary. This has not yet been an area of discussion in veterinary surgical training of ACVS residents. Fortunately, multiple training modalities are available, or under current development with great potential of aiding in MIS training. However, inconsistent access to training remains a problem for surgery residents. Ideally, all these modalities should be utilized to their full potential yet cost-effectively, developing a comprehensive curriculum incorporating validated methods of training in MIS. This talk will review such training modalities, their pros and cons, and how they could be utilized in a curriculum available to all small animal surgery residents.