Since its introduction, laparoscopy has been considered to be a very challenging approach to surgery.  Laparoscopy requires detailed knowledge of the associated equipment, establishment of access and pneumoperitoneum, associated physiology unique to laparoscopy, complications and, of course, technical skills to perform laparoscopic surgery itself.   Add to this the fact that residency programs are challenged by limited work hours, rapidly developing technology, a reduced tolerance of complications, and other limitations that are challenges to the dissemination and teaching of these skills.  Unfortunately, there is great variability in the degree to which residency programs teach laparoscopy, and many programs and residents have no formalized inanimate laparoscopy training at all.  In addition, it is more important than ever to provide residents with objective measures of their aptitude at techniques such as laparoscopy in the setting of the Next Accreditation System and Milestones assessment of residents. 

Based on this educational need, Basic Laparoscopic Urological Skills (BLUS) is a new hands-on course available exclusively for residents attending the AUA Fundamentals in Urology Course.  The goal of this course is to introduce the BLUS curriculum in a uniform way.  The course will include a full day of didactic and video sessions and a full day of hands-on training.  Participants will be divided into groups, allowing for tailored hands-on training and interactive sessions.  Technical performance improvement will be measured utilizing a dedicated algorithm allowing for an assessment of the course impact on residents' skills. Residents will receive information to help them in setting up BLUS training programs at their home institution to help with the diffusion of BLUS to residency programs at-large.