Simulation-based surgical training (SST) has become an increasingly important part of contemporary urological education because of growing procedural complexity, patient-safety expectations, limited operative exposure, and the shift toward competency-based training. This review examines the current impact of SST in urology from the perspective of the European School of Urology (ESU) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) Endourology Section.
Available simulation modalities in urology include bench-top trainers, tissue-based and cadaveric models, virtual reality systems, and newer hybrid or 3D-printed platforms. Across major procedural domains, including basic endoscopic skills, transurethral surgery, laser enucleation, stone treatment, laparoscopy, and robotic surgery, simulation supports early familiarization, repeated practice, and more structured technical skills acquisition. However, the literature remains heterogeneous, and many studies still focus on simulator validation rather than higher level educational or clinical outcomes.
From the ESU and EAU perspective, the value of SST lies not in isolated model use, but in its integration into structured curricula supported by cognitive task analysis, expert consensus, validation, benchmarking, and staged assessment. SST should therefore be viewed as an important adjunct within progressive surgical training pathways.
Current opinion in urology. 2026 Jul 03 [Epub ahead of print]
Tarik Emre Sener, Tiago Ribeiro de Oliveira, Gunal Ozgur, Domenico Veneziano, Chandra Shekhar Biyani, Evangelos Liatsikos, Olivier Traxer, Bhaskar Somani
Department of Urology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey., Department of Urology, Armed Forces Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal., Department of Urology, Bronxcare Health System, New York, USA., Department of Urology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK., Department of Urology, University Hospital Patras, Patras, Greece., Department of Urology, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Tenon Hospital, Paris, France., Department of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.