ESSM Surgical Academy

The ESSM Surgical Academy offers various training units for surgeons. Improve your knowledge, technical and communicative skills and master novel operation techniques in genital surgery, according to high European standards of education, prior to performing them on patients.

Our Aim

To increase the quality of surgery and patient satisfaction by:

  • Validation of surgical training and the assessment methods
  • Standardization of evidence-based multispecialty and multi-tool training
  • Dispersion throughout Europe of uniform training pathways based on these standards
  • Implementation of an accreditation system for genital surgeons

How?

The ESSM has started with a new surgical academy regarding penile implant surgery. Within this concept we want to break with the old historical and outdated “Halsted principle” of “do one, see one, teach one”. Surgical training has become a challenge if we look at the financial, medico-legal and ethical issues nowadays, moreover shorter residency training programs and resident working hours restrictions make this training even more difficult. The training module we set up for penile implant surgery will be copy pasted in other surgical procedures later on.

Chair of the ESSM Surgical Academy: Koen van Renterghem, Belgium

The Surgical Academy is based on a 3-levels training process:

LEVEL 1

The first level will consist of a theoretical educational program with 3 different live online webinars with exceptional speakers.

Giovanni Corona, Italy
ESSM President, Introduction

Koen van Renterghem, Belgium
Chair

Ignacio Moncada, Spain
Co-chair

David Ralph, UK
Co-chair

Daniar Osmonov, Germany
Co-chair

Webinars

The objective of the webinars is to inform and educate beginning or low volume penile implant surgeons. This starts with basic pre-surgery topics, afterwards information on the “straight forward” cases and finally how to deal with more complex cases. The ultimate goal is to train urologists in a state of the art fashion to become experienced penile implant surgeons.

The project is open to ESSM members only.

The webinars will be recorded and will be made available to all ESSM Members one month after the event has gone live.

WEBINAR 1: 31st May 2023

Introduction: Giovanni Corona
Chair: Koen van Renterghem

Co-Chairs:  Daniar Osmonov, David Ralph

Wednesday 31 May, 2023 | 20:00–21:30 CET
1:30h
Koenraad van Renterghem, Asif Muneer, Daniar Osmonov, Javier Romero Otero

The recording is for members only
Please . Not a Member? Join Us

WEBINAR 2: 27th June 2023

Chair: Koen van Renterghem
Co-Chairs:  Daniar Osmonov, Ignacio Moncada

Tuesday 27 June, 2023 | 20:00–21:30 CET
1:30h
Carlo Bettocchi, Enrique Lledo Garcia, Cobi Reisman, Nuno Tomada

The recording is for members only
Please . Not a Member? Join Us

WEBINAR 3: 25th September 2023

Chair: Koen van Renterghem
Co-Chairs:  Daniar Osmonov, Ignacio Moncada, David Ralph

Monday 25 September, 2023 | 20:00–21:30 CET
1:30h
Antoine Faix, Don Lee, David Ralph, Juan Ignacio Martinez Salamanca

The recording is for members only
Please . Not a Member? Join Us

Recording will be available next month (for members only).

LEVEL 2

The second level, reserved to those that have attended the 3 webinars and have passed a specific test on knowledge, will result in access to a new conceived book on prosthetic urological surgery that has been published recently in collaboration with KOL’s from all over the world and full access to a platform with different videos of outstanding and incomparable quality. These interactive videos show complete surgical procedures “skin to skin”, recorded with different cameras simultaneously making it possible to see in every step what happens at the very same time at the nurse table, in the operating room and at the table where the implant is prepared.

LEVEL 3

The third level will be where the practical training begins, in one of the “centers of excellence” in Europe.

For this purpose we developed together with Ahmed Ghazi from Rochester University (NY) 3-D models of the male pelvis. These extremely natural looking and natural feeling models consist of a hydrogel based, bio degradable, polyvinyl alcohol, viscous gel. All relevant anatomical structures are present in the model: urethra, corpora cavernosa, pubic bone, bladder, inguinal canal, etc. This model mimics real live so well, making it possible not only to skip cadaver training but even to transcend by far the surgical experience reached in cadaver training.

After training on the models, the fellows will continue with “hands on training” in the selected “centers of excellence”.

The project is organized with broad access to ESSM members who have special interest in this kind of surgery; access to LEVEL 3 will be reserved to selected ESSM members since this training will be supported by a substantial ESSM grant.

Timeline

May–September 2023

LEVEL 1 (live webinars)

October–November 2023

LEVEL 2 (books and videos)

December 2023–1st Semester 2024

LEVEL 3 and further “hands on” training

  • Applications: December 2023-January 2024
  • Selection and notification: February 2024
  • Fellowship: March-June 2024

Supported by

This academy is supported by an unrestricted grant from Boston Scientific and Coloplast.

The project is open to ESSM members only. Not a member yet? You can find all information and the online application form in the membership section.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Please check the FAQ here below, they have been selected from those most commonly asked.

The project is open to ESSM members ONLY

Not a member yet? You can find all information and the online application form in the membership section.

  • Applicants must be active members of the ESSM in good standing
  • Applicants must be a consultant or within one year of completion of their general urological or related specialist training
  • Applicants must be committed to career in andrology and/or reconstructive urology
  • Completion of the ESSM school of sexual medicine course and/or the Fellowship of the Committee of Sexual Medicine title will be an advantage but is not a requirement
  • Publications relevant to the field will be an advantage but is not a requirement

A specific registration form will be available in this section of the website; since only ESSM members are entitled to attend, confirmation and link to participate will be sent only after membership is confirmed by the ESSM Secretariat office

Yes, only those that have attended live ALL webinars will move to LEVEL 2, upon passing a specific evaluation online test, if needed.

Yes webinars are recorded but you are required to attend live to all 3 if you want to move forward to LEVEL 2.

Yes, attending live webinars is mandatory

Yes of course, attending the webinars does not bind you to participate further

We might set up an evaluation test to assess knowledge, and you will need to submit your full CV and a motivation letter (max 500 words) for selection

Only after LEVEL 2, in order to move forward, you will need to submit an application:

  • Full CV
  • Motivation letter (max 500 words)
  • Estimated budget for the fellowship

The applications will be reviewed by a grant committee appointed by the ESSM. Upon the initial assessment, applicants may be asked to participate in a follow-up interview.

The applications will be reviewed by a grant committee appointed by the ESSM. Upon the initial assessment, applicants may be asked to participate in a follow-up interview.

Step 3 (on 3D models) and further “hands on” training  will both take place at the center of excellence

Your supervisor will evaluate your skills on 3D models (LEVEL 3) and confirm your further training; restrictions may apply with reference to access to OR according to local legislations. We may not be held responsible for denial to perform surgery at the centers of excellence.

At present we foresee a max of 10 participants for this edition

You will be asked to submit a preference, but this will NOT ensure your final allocation; ESSM will match the requests and inform you about the available center that can host your fellowship

Ideal duration is around 2 months at the center of excellence + 2 weeks as visitor in the center in the UK

It will be your responsibility to check, if needed the visa procedure to reach the center. We will help out if needed providing an invitation letter but we may not be held responsible in case of rejection

The grants will be used to cover expenses such as plane tickets/accommodation and an amount for cost of living. Details will be provided to the fellows in due time.

The fellow will be solely responsible for relevant payment for tax purposes.

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