For robotics surgeons with long careers and a desire to pass on their skills, it can be tricky to get back into the mindset of a trainee. And this can make it hard to design effective training experiences that put trainees and their needs first. But for our guest today, the journey from trainee to consultant to trainer all happened within the last 6 years, giving her a unique insight into how to meet their educational needs.

In this episode of Surgical Robo-Talks, Jessica and co-host, Fahad Ullah (Colorectal Trainee and ASiT Past Robotic Lead) are joined by Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Deena Harji.

They’ll discuss Deena’s journey to find out how she went from trainee to trainer and learn how her experience has shaped the way she teaches her own trainees. We’ll also hear what advice Deena has for trainees wanting to make robotics part of their career and we’ll find out what skills they can learn to help their robotic tuition along before getting hands-on experience with a robotic unit.

Plus, we’ll hear why mentors are so important and discover how trainees can find their own.

We’ll also ask:

• (3:09 ) - What was Deena’s journey from trainee to trainer like? 


• (4:52 ) – Did Deena know that the future of her speciality was in robotics?


• (7:28 ) – What advice does Deena have for trainees wanting to get experience on surgical robotic platforms?


• (10:09 ) – Does Deena think that observing robotic-assisted surgery enhances or detracts from trainee surgical experiences?


• (13:16 ) – In Deena’s experience, can there be a transference of skills from one robotics system to another? And what are the key aspects of robotic-assisted surgery that a trainee must understand?


• (16:42 ) – How has Deena seen robotics training evolve and what more does she think needs to be done to improve training? 


• (19:52 ) – What kind of exposure to robotics would Deena recommend to trainees at each level of their journey?


• (22:40 ) – What was Deena’s experience transitioning from trainee to consultant to robotics trainer?


• (25:55 ) – Are there any low-cost solutions that can help trainees to acquire additional skills to prepare them for training on robotic systems?


• (28:29 ) – How important are mentors in robotic-assisted surgery? And how did Deena find hers?


• (30:50 ) – Where does Deena think robotics will be in the next five years?