by JIM BERGAMO / KVUE News and Photojournalist MICHAEL MOORE

kvue.com

Posted on April 24, 2012 at 9:05 PM

Updated yesterday at 9:04 AM

AUSTIN -- The words surgery and bioengineering did not seem to fit together a few decades ago. On Tuesday, students at the University of Texas got a first-hand look at how the two are now the perfect fit in the field of surgical technology.

Back in the day the board game Operation was as close as any kid got to performing an operation. On Tuesday,UT pre-med studentsand those just preoccupied with curiosity, got under the hood and took da Vinci Surgical Robots for a test drive.

"To allow students to handle equipment that is for operating procedures is fantastic," said Elizabeth Coyne, a junior studying biology. "I could not pass that up."

Students took turns on the da Vinci, and then took turns asking questions from real surgeons who shared their expertise on robotic surgery.

"It enables visualization effects that I cannot traditionally achieve," said Reginald Baptiste, M.D., who is a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Students learned that da Vinci's minimally invasive surgery benefits patients because there's less pain, blood loss and fewer complications,not to mention shorter recovery times.

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UT students get hands-on opportunity with da Vinci surgical robot