Intercontinental Training Program (ITP)
This TROGSS Intercontinental Training Program (ITP) is designed to promote the acquisition and refinement of surgical skills while fostering our program directors’ and candidates’ collaboration to ensure a comprehensive approach to the future of Robotic Surgery. By empowering emerging surgeons with the latest techniques and insights, we aim to enhance patient care and drive the evolution of surgical practices worldwide. While our focus is on robotic surgery, the TROGSS ITP has been expanded to include Advanced Laparoscopy and Advanced Endoscopy to enable our dedicated and talented faculty and program directors to participate and offer alternative state-of-the-art non-robotic training to aspiring fellows, observers, and visiting professors, even if they do not have access to robotic surgery platforms yet.
Available Programs
Nacogdoches Medical Center, Nacogdoches, TX, United States of America
○ Program Director:
Prof. Rodolfo J. Oviedo, MD, FACS, FRCS, FICS, FASMBS,
DABS-FPDMBS
● Medical Director of Bariatric Surgical Services and Robotics
Program, Nacogdoches Medical Center
● Clinical Professor, University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family
College of Medicine
● Clinical Professor, Sam Houston State University College of
Osteopathic Medicine
● CEO, TROGSS – The Robotic Global Surgical Society
● Deputy Editor, Journal of Robotic Surgery
● Associate Editor, Obesity Surgery
○ Robotic Metabolic and Bariatric Robotic Surgery Fellowship, Robotic General
Surgery Training:
■ Non hands-on observation experience for patients in the hospital and
ambulatory surgery center (subject to change in the future), but with
laboratory simulation training in robotics, advanced laparoscopy and
endoscopy (hybrid model.)
■ Fellowship, Observership and Visiting Professor experience available.
○ Length:
- 4 weeks
For Program Directors
For Aspiring Candidates
November 20th National Medical Center, ISSSTE. Mexico City, Mexico
○ Program Director:
Prof. Omar F. Gaytan, MD
● Bariatric & Robotic Surgeon at November 20th National Medical
Center, ISSSTE, Mexico
● Professor of The Upper Gastrointestinal Robotic Surgery
Fellowship at The National Autonomous University of Mexico.
● Primary and Revisional Bariatric Surgery
● Primary and Revisional Antireflux Surgery.
● Professor of Surgery, Westhill University.
● Editor, Journal of Robotic Surgery.
○ Metabolic and Bariatric Robotic Surgery Training:
■ Robotic, Laparoscopic, and Endoscopic (Hands-On).
■ Fellowship, Observership, and Visiting Professor.
○ Length:
- Short training (4 weeks / 8 weeks)
- Intermediate training (3 months / 6 months)
- Full training (1 year)
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Orléans (CHU), Orléans University Hospital, France
○ Program Director:
Dr. Adel ABOU-MRAD, FACS, FICS
● Consultant Bariatric & Robotic Surgeon at The Centre Hospitalier
Universitaire d’Orléans (CHU), Orleans University Hospital,
France.
● Program director of the Bariatric Robotic Program at The CHU
d’Orléans, Orleans University Hospital, France.
● Former President of the robotic council at The University Hospital
of Orleans, France.
● Founder & President of TROGSS: The Robotic Global Surgical
Society.
● SOFFCOMM Robotic board coordinator & SOFFCOMM
Administration Council member.
● President of the Orleans SOFFCOMM Congress 2027
● Fellow of the International College of Surgeons – F.I.C.S.
● Fellow of the American College of Surgeons – F.A.C.S.
○ Metabolic and Bariatric Robotic Surgery Training:
■ Robotic/Laparoscopic/Endoscopic (Hands-off)
■ Observership/Visiting Professor
○ Length:
- Short training (4 weeks / 8 weeks)
- Intermediate training (3 months / 6 months)
- Full training (1 year)
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors
Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
○ Program Director:
■ Dr. Beniamino Pascotto MD, FEBS-MIS
● Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric/Metabolic Surgeon at The
Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg.
● Head of the Department General and Minimally Invasive
Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery Department at The Centre
Hospitalier de Luxembourg.
● Chair of Education Committee of The Robotic Global Surgical
Society (TROGSS)
● Board member of the Belgian Section of Obesity and Metabolic
Surgery (BeSOMS)
● Member of the Scientific Council of the Sociedade Portuguesa de
Cirurgia Robotica (SPCR)
● Member of Young IFSO-EC Taskforce
○ Metabolic and Bariatric Robotic Surgery Training:
■ Robotic/Laparoscopic/Endoscopic (Hands-off)
■ Observership/Visiting Professor
○ Length:
- Short training (4 weeks / 8 weeks)
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors
Chibune General Hospital, Osaka City, Osaka, Japan.
○ Program Director:
■ Prof. Seiichi Kitahama, MD
● Director of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Center for Obesity,
Diabetes and Endocrinology
● Councilor, Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Japan Society
for the Study of Obesity and Japanese Society for Treatment of
Obesity
● Member of Clinical Guidelines Committee, JASSO
● Instructor, Laparoscopic suturing seminar, JSES
● Member of Program Committee for Metabolic and Bariatric
Surgery, JSES
● Expert Laparoscopic Surgeon, Outreach Program, ELSA
● Preceptor, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Kyoto University
Hospital
● Kobe University Hospital and Nara Medical University Hospital
● Member of Fellowship Committee, TROGSS
○ Metabolic and Bariatric Robotic Surgery Fellowship:
■ Robotic/Laparoscopic/Endoscopic (Hands-On)
■ Fellowship/Observership/Visiting Professor
○ Length:
- Short training (4 weeks / 12 weeks).
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors
Maria Inmaculada Hospital, Florencia-Caquetá, Colombia
○ Program Director:
■ Prof. Adolfo Perez Bonet, MD
● Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon at Maria Inmaculada Hospital,
Florencia, Colombia.
● Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon at Gloria Patricia Pinzon Clinic –
Cedim, Florencia, Colombia.
● Program Coordinator of the Postgraduate Certification in
Laparoscopic Surgery Program, jointly offered by the Colombian
Medical College and the University of Amazon, Colombia
● Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon, The National Autonomous
University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
● Member of TROGSS Education Committee.
○ General, Metabolic & Bariatric Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery Training:
■ Advanced Laparoscopic and Endoscopic (Hands-On).
■ Fellowship, Observership, and Visiting Professor.
○ Length:
- Short training (4 weeks / 12 weeks).
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors
University Bielefeld-Campus Lippe, Detmold, Germany
○ Program Director:
■ Dr. Miljana Vladimirov, MD, MHBA.
● Robotic surgeon, Expert in Foregut, Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery.
Expert in Advance Laparoscopic Surgery
● Robotic Surgery, Visceral, Foregut, Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery
at University Bielefeld-Campus Lippe
● Head of Department Bariatric and Metabolic surgery at University
Bielefeld-Campus Lippe
● Proud Member of TROGSS – Executive Council
● Co-Chair of Education Committee of TROGSS
● Member of Young IFSO-EC Taskforce
● President international cooperation Serbian association of
endoscopic surgery (UEHS)
○ Metabolic and Bariatric Robotic Surgery Training:
■ Robotic/Advanced Laparoscopic
■ Observership/Visiting Professor
○ Length:
- Short training (4 weeks / 8 weeks)
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors
InterHospital, Guayaquil, Ecuador
○ Program Director:
■ Dr. Omar Rivera, MD.
● Head of the Department of Metabolic, Bariatric, and
Esophagogastric Robotic Surgery at Inter Hospital, Guayaquil,
Ecuador.
● Advanced Laparoscopic, Metabolic, Bariatric, and
Esophagogastric Surgeon at Gastro Vitta Hospital, Manta,
Ecuador.
● General Surgeon Specialist at Universidad de especialidades
Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
● Fellowship of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, National
Autonomous University of Mexico.
● Fellowship of Bariatric & Metabolic Robotic Surgery at November
20th National Hospital, ISSSTE, Mexico.
● Bariatric, and Esophagogastric Robotic Surgery, CEU Cardenal
Herrera University, Spain.
● Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery at IRCAD América Latina –
Unidade Barretos, Brazil.
○ General, Metabolic & Bariatric Robotic & Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
Training:
■ Robotic & Advanced Laparoscopic Simulation & Hands-on (Simlab)
■ Fellowship, Observership, and Visiting Professor.
○ Length:
Short training (4 weeks / 8 weeks)Intermediate training (3 months / 6 months)Full training (1 year)
For Aspiring Candidates
For Program Directors