The purpose of this review is to describe how a curriculum for minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) was developed and implemented. The authors discuss the curriculum roadmap, its target audience, and the educational process for teaching general skills and specific procedures in MISS. Initiated by AOSpine, a panel of experts within spinal surgery from multiple centers formed the minimally invasive spine surgery task force. Together, task force members redefined the standards and milestones of the MISS education and training. Therefore, we conclude that the MISS task force created a structured curriculum which will have a positive influence on daily practice for surgeons and patients worldwide.
Study Design: Literature review and transversal study. Objective: Advances in new technologies give the surgeons confidence to manage complex spine conditions with a lower morbidity rate. This has changed the expectations of patients and medical payers and foreshadows the shift now underway: the use of minimally invasive techniques. The ethical considerations of learning directly on patients require a change in the education and training programs. Methods: The education paradigm has changed, and surgical training on minimally invasive surgery of the spine (MISS) techniques should follow a “curriculum.” The assessment of skill proficiency while learning the MISS techniques must be measurable to objectively show the performance gained over time and the changes that should be performed during training. Different strategies include “ex vivo” and “in vivo” training. Results: We have worked on a curriculum in which the participants can perceive the growth in their knowledge through the different educational opportunities. There are 3 levels: basic, advanced, and masters. Conclusions: We developed an educational curriculum for MISS rationale and techniques, that showed to be effective and interesting in our region.
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