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SDSC’s Data Science Roundtable with Dr. Brenna Swift – gynecologic oncologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto – exhibited her ongoing work on video-based surgical coaching and how artificial intelligence (AI) could transform surgical education.
Dr. Swift explained how surgical coaching differs from traditional teaching and mentorship, which is typically limited by inconsistent feedback, influenced by hierarchical relationships, and difficult to deliver objectively. Video-based coaching lets surgeons study their own performance, set specific learning goals, and receive constructive feedback away from the pressures of the operating room.
In her randomized trial of residents performing laparoscopic vaginal vault closure, receiving just one 30-minute coaching session cut task time by approximately 30%, roughly three minutes, compared to those who didn’t. The discussion also highlighted the potential for coaching to strengthen clinical decision-making, communication, teamwork, and lifelong learning.
The talk then turned to the opportunity for AI and a new collaboration between SDSC and surgical educators to develop and validate an AI-driven feedback tool for robotic hysterectomy training. This proposed tool aims to provide trainees with objective, actionable feedback on skills such as instrument control, bimanual dexterity, operative efficiency, and surgical autonomy.
This research could help make feedback more consistent, accessible, and scalable, while reducing the reliance on time-intensive expert assessment. The planned feasibility study will investigate the tool’s usefulness, credibility, and potential impact on trainee performance and learning.
This roundtable highlighted the promise of combining data science, AI, and clinical expertise to advance surgical education, support continuous improvement, and ultimately contribute to better patient outcomes.
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