A surgical console (10,100) is disclosed for simulating surgical procedures. Simulations can be directly integrated and supported by the surgical console and training surgical instruments (14). An operator may use actual control hardware to manipulate the surgical instruments that will be manipulated during actual surgical procedures to improve the operator's surgical dexterity. The surgical console can include a processing module (32), an external interface (34), a stored simulation module (24,36,38,40), and a user interface (12,17,18,20,115). The processing module directs operation ofperiphcral devices (14) coupled to the surgical console. The peripheral devices may include control devices, such as, but not limited to footswitches or other like control devices, surgical instruments such as, but not limited to, surgical microscopes, or other surgical training instruments, such as training surgical cutting tools. Additionally, the processing module (32) may monitor the operating parameters and surgical modes associated with the training surgical procedure. The operator may receive feedback from the surgical console on his/her performance of the training surgical procedure.