Effectiveness and Challenges of Video-Assisted Surgery in Graduate Medical Education: A Focused Systematic Review of 2025 Studies.

Introduction: Video-assisted surgery (VAS) has been increasingly incorporated into graduate medical education (GME), offering enhanced visualization and structured opportunities for technical skill development. However, recent implementation models vary considerably in design, evaluation, and reported outcomes. Objective: To synthesize evidence from studies published in 2025 regarding the effectiveness and challenges of VAS in GME. Methods: A focused systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-S recommendations. Peer-reviewed English-language studies published in 2025 were identified through searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligible studies examined video-assisted educational interventions involving residents and/or fellows and reported at least one educational outcome. Four studies met the inclusion criteria following dual screening. Data were extracted using a standardized framework and synthesized narratively due to substantial heterogeneity in study designs, interventions, and outcome measures. Results: The four included studies employed heterogeneous methodologies (descriptive observational designs, a multicenter observational study, and one randomized controlled trial). Reported outcomes suggested potential improvements in procedural understanding, technical skill acquisition, workflow efficiency, and learner engagement, particularly when video-assisted approaches were embedded within structured training models. However, evidence was frequently based on small samples, subjective measures (e.g., satisfaction and perceived utility), and short-term evaluations, with limited use of standardized objective metrics. Conclusions: Evidence from 2025 studies indicates that VAS may support surgical training in GME when integrated into structured educational frameworks. Nevertheless, the small number of studies, methodological heterogeneity, and limited longitudinal data warrant cautious interpretation. Further multicenter and methodologically rigorous research is needed to clarify long-term educational impact and transfer to clinical practice.