Robotic Oncology Center
 
 

EDUCATION

A core mission of the UC Irvine Health Robotic Oncology Center is to educate not only physicians-in-training, but also community physicians who practice in Orange County. At the UC Irvine Health School of Medicine, we offer many educational opportunities that incorporate both lectures and hands-on lab sessions. As the only university hospital in Orange County, we are uniquely qualified to provide these world-class services to the region. In fact, UC Irvine's mini-fellowship in robot-assisted surgery is one of a few training programs of its kind in the United States.

Our faculty members have given national and international presentations on robot-assisted surgery for prostate cancer, gynecological cancers and gastrointestinal cancers, among others. Residents and fellows have the opportunity to perform practice procedures on inanimate models before moving to animals and cadavers. They also have an opportunity to assist with surgeries.

Fellowships

UC Irvine's Robotic Oncology Center offers a two-year Endourology Society-accredited fellowship in laparoscopy and robotic surgery. Surgeons come from all over the world to learn to operate the da Vinci Surgical System® and to perform advanced robot-assisted surgical techniques from our faculty members. Fellows must complete a basic online training program developed by Intuitive Surgical Inc. before moving on to hands-on training.

Mini-fellowships

UC Irvine's mini-fellowship program in urology is the first and only training program of its kind in the United States. This unique, one-week educational experience is limited to two surgeons per course. These fellowships typically focus on prostatectomy, nephrectomy or pyeloplasty and are designed to train practicing surgeons advanced skills for performing all types of minimally invasive procedures, including robot-assisted surgery.

The module includes didactic sessions with the preceptor, pelvic trainer and simulator training, and live animal and/or cadaveric hands-on laboratory sessions. Fellows also observe several module-specific surgery cases at UC Irvine Medical Center and assist or perform minimally invasive procedures with the da Vinci system side-by-side with their preceptor.

Learn more about our fellowship programs ›

Conferences

UC Irvine hosted "New Frontiers in Minimally Invasive Surgery," a three-day conference designed to provide information about advances in minimally invasive surgery and to look at current and future approaches. Our internationally renowned faculty made presentations at the event, which began Aug. 19.

View more information about the conference ›