Telangana Plans Six-Month Robotic Surgery Training for PG Medical Students

Telangana is examining a proposal to make six months of robotic surgery training a mandatory part of postgraduate medical education, as the State works to build a workforce capable of delivering advanced surgical procedures in its government hospitals.

Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha said the government would seek the National Medical Commission's permission to introduce the dedicated training period within the existing three-year postgraduate programme. He was speaking at the State Level Multi-Specialty Robotic Surgery Workshop held at the Marri Chenna Reddy Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (MCR TIMS) in Sanathnagar, Hyderabad.

The Minister said training would be central to the State's plans for expanding robotic surgery, whether through a hub-and-spoke model or through dedicated robotic surgery facilities at the district level.

The proposal builds on efforts already under way to create a statewide pool of surgeons trained in robotic procedures. MCR TIMS Director Dr A. Narendra Kumar said surgeons from 35 medical colleges and 47 hospitals, excluding speciality hospitals, are being trained at two government institutions — Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and MNJ Cancer Institute.

"The idea is to ensure that robotic surgery does not remain concentrated in a handful of premier institutions in Hyderabad," he said.

Robotic surgery expert Dr Sudhir Srivastava said such a model could carry specialist expertise to patients without forcing them to travel to major cities. He pointed to the financial and emotional strain on families from rural and smaller communities who must leave their homes to obtain specialised treatment.

Former NIMS Director Dr N. Bheerappa said the institute had recently completed close to 1,000 robotic surgeries, with the government covering the cost for eligible patients under the Rajiv Aarogyasri health scheme.

Director of Medical Education Dr N. Vani said government medical colleges carry the twin responsibility of patient care and training the next generation of doctors. Exposing young surgeons to newer technologies, she said, could have a multiplier effect across the government healthcare system. She also stressed that young surgeons should not depend on the technology alone, but must pair it with clinical judgement, human touch and compassion.

Experts at the workshop cautioned that expanding robotic surgery involves far more than installing machines. Government Medical College Nagpur Dean Dr Raj Gajbhiye said robotic surgery was no longer a technology confined to a few high-end private institutions. For government hospitals, he said, "the real objective should be equitable access to advanced surgical technology."

"Success of robotics is not about purchasing a robot," Dr Gajbhiye said, pointing instead to the need for appropriate infrastructure, trained faculty, structured protocols, multidisciplinary teamwork and institutional support.