Minimally invasive surgery is the development direction of surgery in the 21st century, and thoracoscopic or laparoscopic skills are essential skills that all surgeons must master. Thoracoscopic or laparoscopic skills training is an important part of surgical resident training. However, there are various methods for thoracoscopic or laparoscopic skill training internationally. The assessment is still in the stage of examiners’ visual observation and subjective evaluation. Here, we reviewed the current research status of thoracoscopic and laparoscopic simulation training and assessment, discussed the development experience and application achievements of Huaxi Intelligent Thoracoscopic Skill Training and Assessment System. We aimed to provide a theoretical basis and practical experience for the development of thoracoscopic or laparoscopic simulation education.
Objective To evaluate the application of the Huaxi Intelligent Endoscopic Skill Training and Assessment System in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) skills training and provide insights for optimizing MIS training models, we analyze trainee performance during training and assessment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the use of this system across 28 medical institutions from January 2022 to January 2025. Results By January 2025, the standardized deployment of 139 simulation units had been completed. A total of 403 trainees from various surgical specialties, including thoracic surgery and general surgery, participated in five customized endoscopic skill training modules: endoscopic recognition, grasping training, positioning and placement, cutting training, and suturing training. Throughout the training period, a total of 78 participants took part in 27 formal assessments. Correlation analysis based on Spearman showed that pre-assessment training pass rates were significantly correlated with final assessment scores, indicating enhancing the quality of each training module and overall training efficacy is a key to improving the effectiveness of MIS training. Conclusion The Huaxi Intelligent Endoscopic Skill Training and Assessment System effectively supports MIS training and evaluation.