Alan Zambeli-Ljepovic, MD, MHS, a surgery resident at UC San Francisco (UCSF), is among those training with robotic surgical systems in the university’s Surgical Skills Lab. From a console, Zambeli-Ljepovic operates a multi-armed robot to practice procedures such as liver incisions, using real tissue for training purposes.
Hueylan Chern, MD, director of the lab and professor of surgery, provides direct coaching to residents. “Think about what you’re going to use your static arm to set this incision up,” she advises. “When I operate, I know almost every step I take before I take it: I know what my arm one is going to do, I know what the second arm is going to do.”
Robotic-assisted surgery has seen rapid growth in fields like urology and gynecology. In 2024 alone, there were approximately 2.63 million robotic surgeries performed in the United States—a nearly 20% increase from the previous year. The adoption of these technologies allows surgeons to work within tight spaces and perform less invasive procedures that can result in quicker recoveries.
However, integrating medical students into robotic surgery presents challenges. Unlike traditional surgeries where students observe at the operating table, robotic systems place surgeons at a separate console and crowd the area around the patient with additional equipment and personnel. As Chern explains: “Learners are physically separated from the surgical team. We noticed that they weren’t really sure where they should be; sometimes we’d just see them sitting in the corner watching the video feed,” she says. “They just didn’t feel engaged.”
To address this issue, Chern and UCSF medical students developed a certification program for final-year students as robotic bedside assistants. Certified assistants help position robots before and after operations, switch out equipment on robot arms, and assist with safe maneuvering during procedures. This initiative aims to give students hands-on experience with advanced technology while enhancing their qualifications for residency programs.
The new certification builds on UCSF’s established robotic surgery curriculum introduced in 2018. UCSF was among the first institutions on the West Coast to adopt robotic surgeries and remains one of California’s busiest centers for such procedures.
Surgical resident Anya Edwards, MD, MBA—who graduated from UCSF in 2023—helped pilot an early version of this student-focused curriculum alongside faculty including Chern and others from the School of Medicine. According to research co-authored by Edwards in 2023, nearly all participants reported better preparation for surgical rotations after completing simulation-based training.
The certification process involves online modules followed by small-group practical sessions led by residents Camilla Gomes, MD, MSc and Alyssa Murillo, MD, MSc. Students learn how to handle robot arms and maintain equipment before being paired with experienced assistants during initial cases in operating rooms at UCSF’s Parnassus and Mission Bay locations.
Gomes notes that careful supervision is key: “The nurse managers, the attending physicians, the residents, the bedside staff — they all welcome the students and really enjoy providing a meaningful learning opportunity,” she says. “I’m appreciative of UCSF’s culture for promoting this kind of open-mindedness and allowing students to function in this role as part of their education.”
More than a dozen students have now completed bedside assistant certification at UCSF. Many report increased interest in robotic surgery careers and greater competitiveness when applying for residencies.
Medical student Jessica Santhakumar became certified earlier this year and has since assisted with over a dozen surgeries at UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights. She describes her experience: “At first it was very intimidating but our instructors warned us that we’d be nervous and encouraged us to try our best and ask for help when we needed it,” she says. “I just went up to our scrub nurse and let them know that it was my first or second time assisting and I’d love to learn from them. The whole team set me up for success.” Santhakumar encourages peers interested in general surgery residencies to pursue similar training.
In July 2025, Hueylan Chern received national recognition when admitted into the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators for her work developing UCSF’s robotic surgery program.
“What’s really beautiful about this work is the input that I, as a student, and other students had into this curriculum because it’s ultimately for students,” Edwards says. “It’s a beautiful example of designing a program with the people it’s intended for.”
