With eoSurgical now improving training in over 60 countries across the world, we felt it was a good time to look back and consider the journey so far. We are passionate about the improvements in training that eoSurgical has brought and have big ambitions for the future.
Back in 2010, founder Roland Partridge was a paediatric surgery trainee and published designs for an ‘open source’ laparoscopic simulator that could be self-assembled by trainees from easily bought components. It quickly became apparent that surgical trainees really valued the proposition – but having the package delivered as a whole with all the tools needed to get going straight out of the box was what they really wanted. Hence eoSurgical was born with a remit to deliver accessible, effective, take-home simulators.
Over time the hardware has been honed and evolved but arguably the game-changer was incorporating instrument tracking performance metrics into the software. Bolstered by an online curriculum that caters to the needs of the novice right through to consultant surgeon, we now have a truly powerful and unique package that makes a real difference to training. All this has been done by winning awards and directing revenue towards more innovation. The journey has been great fun, taking the founders and employees around the world from surgical bootcamps in the Highlands of Scotland to training centres in Australasia, China, and the Middle East. We have been able to meet and inform decision-makers ranging from Scotland’s first minister to HRH Princess Anne, visiting Edinburgh to laud the university’s efforts to promote safer surgery globally.
What next? We are proud to be part of the ongoing Royal College of Surgeons’ Improving Surgical Training pilot, an effort to re-ignite basic surgical training in the UK. Our vision of a simulator for every trainee, for life, is a step closer. Our instrument tracking data is growing every day and as data accrues, our ability to inform and accelerate learning increases. As our products evolve so too do the founders of the company, two of whom are now consultant surgeons working in leading edge NHS roles. We want to do better and welcome feedback from surgeons, trainees, and those working in surgical simulation. Please get in touch and help us to make even more of an impact.
Mark Hughes
Director, eoSurgical
Clinical Lecturer in Neurosurgery, University of Edinburgh
mark.hughes@eosurgical.com
@eosurgical
Co-founder Roland Partridge being awarded the UK Santander University Entrepreneurship Award in 2012
Director Mark Hughes in Shenzen, China spreading the word about eoSurgical at the Engage Invest Exploit in 2016
Last year Roland and Mark discuss how eoSurgical is improving global surgical training with HRH Princess Anne the Chancellor of Edinburgh University and Moira Whyte the Head of the Medical School.