Robotic Surgery Training Mooted For PG Courses

The health department has proposed robotic surgery training in the second year of postgraduate medical courses, with students undergoing training during their final six months of peripheral postings at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) and MNJ Cancer Hospital. The plan aims to gradually extend robotic surgery training to undergraduate students.

Health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, speaking at a state‑level multi‑speciality robotic surgery workshop at Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (Tims), Sanathnagar, said advanced robotic surgery services would be expanded to government medical colleges and general hospitals across Telangana within six months.

“The department has already sent doctors for training to Nims and MNJ. We now have discussions for PG students, with a proposal to include robotic training in their second year. This will slowly extend to UG students so that all of them get hands‑on experience,” he said.

He added that services would be expanded to Tims, the new Osmania Hospital, Gandhi Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, the upcoming super‑speciality hospital in Warangal and GGHs in district headquarters. Nims has already completed 1,000 robotic surgeries. Expertise from Dr Sudhir Srivastava, a global expert in robotic cardiac surgery, is being used to strengthen services.

Dr Srivastava said young doctors must be trained in the latest technologies and offered to provide buses equipped with robotic simulation facilities for PG training. Director of Medical Education Dr N. Vani said the programme should align with Telangana Rising plans and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s vision to provide advanced technology training for doctors and ensure accessibility of health services.

Tims director Dr Narendra Kumar, Nims former director Dr Beerappa, GMC Siddipet director Dr Vimala Thoma, and robotic experts Dr Sudhir Srivastava and Dr Raj Gajbhiye attended the programme.