Touch Surgery: a Twenty-First Century Platform for Surgical Training

Abstract

This manuscript reviews Touch Surgery, a novel online platform geared towards innovating professional training for surgical procedures. In other industries, such as aviation, simulation has already been shown to reduce costs and improve outcomes in crisis (JETS 3(4):348–352, 2010). Studies involving simulation-based learning in healthcare similarly indicate the potential for reducing errors through skill acquisition and cognitive retention (Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 46:211, 2017). Cohort studies have shown improved performance among simulator-trained medical students in comparison to those with traditional ward training (Med Teach 9:53–57, 1987). With this front in mind, Touch Surgery is paving its way for implementation within the surgical realm. The simulations in this application are numerous and come from over 14 different specialties. This review details the purpose and features of the application—to include its two distinct modules—while providing reviews based on its user functionality and application in medical training. Given the revolutionary shift to simulation-based learning, platforms like Touch Surgery must now meet the demands of surgical training in the twenty-first century.