General Surgery Premieres New Robotic Surgery Curriculum
August 19, 2025
Stanford’s General Surgery Residency Program has announced a new Robotic Surgery Curriculum.
“The main goals of the curriculum are to prepare everyone coming through the program to perform robotic surgery safely and effectively in his or her future career,” said Director of Robotic Education Dr. Aaron Dawes. “We wanted it to be fair, transparent, and learner-driven such that each resident knew what he or she needed to do to improve and that each faculty member felt comfortable and confident entrusting more and more of their robotic operations to our residents.”
The new curriculum’s “pre-console” phase prepares residents for robotic surgery and includes a number of requirements to be completed before a resident may sit at an active robot console, such as:
• online modules,
• in-service labs,
• simulator training requirements, and
• bedside-assist cases.
All pre-requisites are expected to be completed during the residents’ first or second year of training.
Residents will enter the console phase with more directed learning opportunities for their third and fourth years. By the end of the PGY4 year, every resident is expected to be eligible for their Intuitive Equivalency Certificate.
In addition to Dawes, Drs. Cara Liebert, Sherry Wren, Frank Lu, and Elaina Tsui will serve as the VA, Kaiser, and SCVMC faculty champions, respectively.
“We would love to hear more from each of you that performs robotic surgery and to include your insights into the curriculum as it continues to develop,” said Dawes.
Media Contact
Bio
About Stanford Surgery
The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:
• pioneering cutting-edge research,
• developing the next generation of leaders, and
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion.
To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu
The Latest
– SurgeryINSIDE: PCSA2026
Two general surgery residents won awards at the Pacific Coast Surgical Association's 97th annual meeting this year in Oahu, Hawaii.
– SurgeryINSIDE: ASC2026
Stanford Surgery trainees from across several disciplines presented at the 21st annual Academic Surgical Congress held in Orlando, Florida last week.
– SurgeryExploring the Intersection of Surgery and Cancer Research with Dr. Dan Delitto
Dr. Dan Delitto is an assistant professor of surgery at Stanford University specializes in surgical oncology and holds a PhD in immunology. On this episode, Dr. Delitto reflects on his decision to pursue an MD-PhD pathway during residency and discusses the recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing technology that his lab has acquired. He explains the complex role of fibroblasts in cancer development, particularly in pancreatic ductal carcinoma, highlighting how these cells can both promote and hinder tumor growth.
– CAP ProfilesDr. Clifford Sheckter Promoted to Associate Professor
Clifford Sheckter, MD, MS, FACS has been promoted to Associate Professor effective March 1, 2026. Dr. Sheckter works in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
– Abdominal TransplantationINSIDE ASTS 2026: Stanford Abdominal Transplantation Surgery Recap
The American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) Winter Symposium was held January 22–25, 2026 at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, Arizona. The symposium brings together leading experts from across the field to share emerging research, discuss innovations in transplant care, and highlight key developments shaping the future of transplantation. There were several contributions from Stanford.