This issue of the Surgical Clinics of North America will include articles devoted to the following topics: the growth of simulators in surgery, the science of proficiency and competency, running a skills lab, high intensity preparatory simulation training, assessment and feedback in the skills lab and OR, FLS & FES: comprehensive models of training and assessment, verification of proficiency: a prerequisite for clinical experience, team training: non-traditional surgical competencies, human factors and simulation training, virtual reality devices and environments, simulation in certification, and the future of surgical simulation.