GlobalSurgBoxAI: Combining Simulation-Based Training and Computer Vision Algorithms to Enhance Surgical Skills Training Globally
by Mary Sheridan Bilbao, PA-C, MPAS
January 30, 2025
Yihan Lin, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Adult Cardiac Surgery), and Nicole Lin, MD, Postdoctoral Scholar and Surgery Resident in Cardiothoracic Surgery (PGY3), were recently awarded the 2024-2025 Stanford Teaching and Mentoring Academy (TMA) Innovation Grant, for their project titled “GlobalSurgBoxAI: Combining GlobalSurgBox and Computer Vision Algorithms to Enhance Surgical Skills Training Globally.”
The grant supports the work for the GlobalSurgBox, a compact, modular toolbox containing all the necessary equipment for practicing essential surgical skills, such as knot tying, suturing, vascular and bowel anastomosis, aortic valve replacement, and coronary bypass anastomosis. The project aims to address disparities in surgical training by providing a low-cost, portable surgical simulator designed for use in low-resource settings.
GlobalSurgBox
The grant will further fund this project to develop an AI-powered mobile application using computer vision algorithms to assess and provide real-time feedback on surgical techniques. The initiative will be piloted at institutions in Rwanda and Kenya, as well as at Stanford University, to evaluate feasibility and impact. Ultimately, the goal is to create an accessible, scalable, and effective training tool to improve surgical education globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Dr. Lin has spent many years working on the GlobalSurgBox with faculty, residents, and trainee collaborators from around the world. She directs the Global Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, which focuses on closing the disparity gap in access to cardiac surgical care worldwide through research and sustainable interventions
The Academy is an inclusive, school-wide entity available to all those who teach and mentor our trainees – MD students, PhD students, residents, fellows, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty. The TMA 2024-2025 Innovation Grants support projects aimed at innovation and scholarship in teaching, learning, and mentoring at Stanford Medicine.
Dr. Yihan Lin
Dr. Nicole Lin