Robotic Cardiac Surgery and Simulation Training: An Interview With Husam Balkhy

At the 2025 Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons Club Annual Meeting, CTSNet Senior Editor Dr. Lorena Montes conducted insightful interviews with leading cardiothoracic surgeons from around the world. Stay tuned for more interviews from the meeting.    

At the 2025 Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons (ECS) Club Annual Meeting, CTSNet Senior Editor Dr. Lorena Montes spoke with Dr. Husam Balkhy, Professor of Surgery and the Director of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at University of Chicago Medicine, about robotic cardiac surgery and simulation training in cardiothoracic surgery.  

They discussed the importance of simulation in surgical training, how training methodologies have evolved over the years, and teaching robotic surgery to others. Dr. Balkhy emphasized the significance of repetition and visual haptics, as well as the difference between navigating the learning curve and achieving true mastery in the field. They also examined the importance of knowing how to perform a sternotomy, hands-on training, and what we can learn from other subspecialities.  

Related Resources  

President's Series With Husam Balkhy | ISMICS President 

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