Postgraduate course in minimally invasive urological surgery

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgeries are increasingly common as the first option for most urological diseases. However, laparoscopic techniques are difficult to master, especially for surgeons who were not trained during their residency programs. Therefore, postgraduate courses are important for such matters. This study aims to evaluate the results of postgraduate courses in minimally invasive urological surgery. METHODS: A specific questionnaire was used to evaluate the impact of the course on urologists’ professional activities. The questionnaire also evaluated demographic data and previous surgical experience. The postgraduate course was divided into 10 monthly modules, each one with 36 hours of activities, from March to December. All students of the laparoscopic postgraduate course from the last five years were enrolled in the study. RESULTS: Forty-one students were included in the study. Thirty-nine students were male (95.1%), and the mean age was 39.5 years (range, 30–60 years). Students from all regions of the country were enrolled. Thirty (73.2%) students had minor laparoscopic experience. All students improved their laparoscopic skills and were able to include new procedures in their daily surgical practice. Eleven students (26.8%) had no laparoscopic experience, and all of them started to perform laparoscopic procedures. The median level of impact on professional life was 75 points (range, 0–100 points). CONCLUSIONS: The postgraduate course is an appropriate way to acquire urological laparoscopic skills. The annual course allowed improvement and initiation of laparoscopic procedures, which significantly impacted urologists’ daily activities.