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Surgeon experience with the robot: what should you ask? | CION Cancer Clinics
Ask how often the surgeon does your particular operation with the robot, not only how many robotic operations they have done in total. Then ask about the team, what happens if the operation must be finished another way, and who looks after you afterwards. This page lists the questions that tell you most, how to ask them without awkwardness, and how to read the answers. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MI
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed ImaduddinConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Oncology) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What should you ask a surgeon about their robotic experience?
- Which questions tell you the most?
- How can you ask without it feeling awkward?
- What do surgeons mean by these terms?
- What do families often get wrong about surgeon experience?
- How do you read the answers you get?
- Common questions about a robotic surgeon's experience
The short answer
What should you ask a surgeon about their robotic experience?
Ask how often they do your particular operation with the robot, not how many robotic operations they have done in total. Then ask who else is in the team, and what happens if the operation needs to be finished another way.
Why experience matters so much with a robot
The robot does not operate on its own. A surgeon controls every movement from a console. Using it well takes practice, and surgeons tend to get smoother and quicker as they do more of the same operation. Doctors call this the learning curve. It is normal, and it is why the question is fair to ask.
Why "total robotic cases" can mislead
A surgeon who has done many robotic hernia repairs has not necessarily done many robotic bowel cancer operations. Each operation is its own skill. Experience with open or keyhole surgery for the same cancer also counts, because it tells you the surgeon knows the anatomy and the disease, whichever tool is in their hands.
Who this page is for
It is for the patient, or the son or daughter sitting in on the consultation, who wants to ask good questions without feeling rude. Asking is normal. A good surgeon expects it.
This page does not compare hospitals or surgeons, and it cannot tell you whether a robotic operation suits you.What to ask
Which questions tell you the most?
Group your questions into four areas. You do not need to ask all of them. Pick the ones that matter to your family.
About the surgeon
How the surgeon trained on the robot, and how often they do this exact operation with it.
You might ask
- How often do you do this operation robotically?
- Do you also do it open or by keyhole?
About the team
The assistant beside you at the table, the nurses and the anaesthetist all need robotic experience too. A skilled surgeon relies on a practised team.
About the plan B
What happens if the operation cannot be finished safely with the robot, and whether the same surgeon can switch to open surgery straight away.
About after the operation
Who looks after you on the ward, who you call once home, and how complications are picked up and handled.
You might ask
- Who sees me after the operation?
- Who do we call at night?
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistAt the consultation
How can you ask without it feeling awkward?
Most families find the first question the hardest. After that, the conversation usually becomes easier for everyone in the room.
Write the questions down first
Choose three or four from this page. Worry makes it easy to forget them once you are in the room. Keep them on your phone or on paper.
Bring one family member
One person asks, the other writes down the answers. Families often hear different things, so compare notes afterwards.
Ask it plainly and kindly
"We want to understand the plan. How often do you and your team do this operation with the robot?" is a normal question, not an accusation.
Ask what they would advise if it were not robotic
It shows whether the surgeon is weighing other methods for you, rather than only one tool.
Ask what you did not understand
Before you leave, read the answers back and ask about anything unclear. You can also ask for a follow-up call once the family has talked it over.
Words you may hear
What do surgeons mean by these terms?
- Learning curve
- The period in which a surgeon gets smoother and quicker at a new operation as they do more of it.
- Console surgeon
- The surgeon who sits at the console and controls the robotic arms.
- Bedside assistant
- The team member beside you who changes instruments and helps during the operation.
- Proctoring
- A more experienced surgeon supervising a surgeon's early robotic operations.
- Credentialing
- A hospital's check that a surgeon has the training to use the robot there.
- Conversion
- Switching to open or keyhole surgery during the operation because that is safer.
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Commonly believed
What do families often get wrong about surgeon experience?
"Asking about experience will offend the surgeon."
Most surgeons expect the question and answer it readily. Asking calmly shows you are taking the decision seriously. If a question is brushed aside, it is fair to ask again.
"A hospital with a robot means every surgeon there is experienced with it."
Experience belongs to the surgeon and the team, not the building. Ask about the person who will do your operation.
"Being switched to open surgery means the surgeon was not skilled enough."
Switching when an operation becomes unsafe to continue is good judgement. Scar tissue, bleeding or a tumour stuck to nearby organs can happen with any surgeon.
"The surgeon with the biggest number is always the right choice."
Numbers are only part of the picture. How the surgeon explains the plan, the team around them and the care after the operation matter too.
Making sense of it
How do you read the answers you get?
Look for clear, specific answers rather than a perfect number. A surgeon who says how often they do your operation, explains why the robot suits it, and describes what happens if plans change is giving you useful information.
Answers that are reassuring in a real way
The surgeon names your operation. They describe the team who work with them regularly. They talk about the risks honestly and do not dismiss them. They are willing to say when open or keyhole surgery might be the better route for someone like you.
Answers that deserve a follow-up question
Only a large total of robotic cases, with nothing about your operation. Only talk of the machine, with little about the surgeon or team. A promise that nothing can go wrong. None of these mean the surgeon is unsuitable, but each is worth asking about again.
What these questions cannot tell you
No set of answers predicts exactly how your operation will go. Your tumour, your body and your general health play a large part. If you are still unsure, asking for a second opinion is reasonable, as long as it does not delay an operation your team says should not wait.
Did you know
At CION every case is discussed at a tumour board, where surgical, medical and radiation oncologists look at the plan together. The recommendation you receive is not one doctor's opinion alone.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about a robotic surgeon's experience
How many robotic operations should a surgeon have done?
There is no single number that suits every operation. What matters more is how often the surgeon does your particular operation robotically, and whether they have experience of it by open or keyhole surgery too. A clear, specific answer is more useful than a large total.
Is it rude to ask a surgeon about their experience?
No. It is a normal question and most surgeons expect it. Ask calmly and explain that your family wants to understand the plan. If the answer is vague, it is fair to ask again in a different way, or to ask the surgeon to explain what they mean.
Will a junior doctor do part of my operation?
In many hospitals, trainees help with parts of operations under close supervision, which is how surgeons learn. It is reasonable to ask who will be at the console for the main part of your operation, and who will be supervising throughout.
Does a surgeon with more experience have fewer complications?
Experience with an operation generally helps, and surgeons tend to become smoother as they do more of the same operation. But complications also depend on the tumour, your health and earlier operations. No surgeon can promise an operation without risk.
What if the surgeon has only recently started using the robot?
Ask whether a more experienced surgeon supervises their early robotic operations, and how often they do the same operation by open or keyhole surgery. A surgeon new to the robot may still know your operation very well. Ask what they would advise if the robot were not used.
Should we choose a surgeon only by robotic experience?
No. Knowledge of your cancer, the team, how clearly the plan is explained and the care after the operation all matter. Robotic experience is one part of a wider picture, and for some operations another method may suit you better.
Can we ask to meet the rest of the team?
You can ask. You will usually meet the anaesthetist before the operation, and you can ask the surgeon who assists them and who looks after you on the ward. Knowing who to call after you go home is just as important.
Can we get a second opinion before deciding?
Yes. Taking your reports to another surgical oncologist is reasonable and a good team will not take offence. Ask the second surgeon the same questions, and ask how soon the operation should happen so the search does not cause harmful delay.
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Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
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MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
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Dr. Owais Mohammed
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Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
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Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Surgery to Treat Cancer
- American Cancer Society — Cancer Surgery
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
- NHS — Consent to treatment
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Choosing a Surgeon and a CentreWhat to look for beyond the machineDoes the Robot Operate on Its Own?Who is actually in control during the operationConversion From Robotic to Open SurgeryWhy switching mid-operation is a safety stepIs Robotic Surgery Safer?What changes with the robot and what does not
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