Emory housestaff and faculty as well as professional clinicians are actively involved with ESTAR, giving center researchers the opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of simulation and robotic systems in reducing the learning curve and improving trainees' skills in the operating room as well as the ability to observe how well career physicians adapt to using robotic technology to perform procedures. Industry is key to this process, as corporate entities supply the hardware/software systems used in the various training programs that ESTAR curates.

ESTAR sponsors mandatory resident laparoscopic and endoscopic skills labs throughout the academic year that meet RRC training requirements. The workshops are made possible in part by an educational grant from Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. Faculty and fellows of the Emory Endosurgery Unit generously volunteer their time to direct these sessions, providing one-on-one teaching and feedback using endoscopy and laparoscopic simulators by Immersion Medical, laparoscopic trainers by Haptica and endoscopy equipment by Olympus America.

Other current training endeavors at ESTAR include:

• Emory urology residents validating a simulator for cystoscopic and laparoscopic procedures.
  
  
• Nurse midwife trainees from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing working with a simulator that can deliver a cyberbaby every 90 seconds.
  
  
• Cardiothoracic surgery residents practicing advanced laparoscopic suturing skills.

As a resource of the Emory Endosurgery Unit that is developing and enacting training strategies for medical students, physicians in training and healthcare professionals while establishing programs and training services for non-Emory affiliated programs and centers, ESTAR is available to facilitate, collaborate and educate. For more details, individuals or organizations in the medical and surgical industries are encouraged to contact ESTAR by calling 404.727.1540.