A system comprising: a simulation processing component including at least one processor; and a manipulator arm connected to a surgical instrument, wherein the manipulator arm is positioned in a simulation area relative to a physical surgical site, wherein the simulation processing component is configured to perform operations in a simulated setup procedure, the operations in the simulated setup procedure comprising: determining a position of the manipulator arm relative to the physical surgical site, wherein the position of the manipulator arm is provided by a user; comparing the position of the manipulator arm to a reference position; and causing output of setup feedback information by a first output device based on a result of comparing the position of the manipulator arm, the setup feedback information indicating an evaluation of the position of the manipulator arm provided by the user, and wherein the simulation processing component is configured to perform operations in a simulated surgical procedure based on a resulting position of the manipulator arm resulting from the simulated setup procedure, the operations in the simulated surgical procedure comprising: reading position signals for the manipulator arm that describe at least one of a position or a configuration of the surgical instrument relative to the physical surgical site, wherein the at least one of the position or the configuration are based on control signals corresponding to inputs by a user of the system; determining whether an incorrect setup performed during the simulated setup procedure and detected based on the comparing of the position of the manipulator arm is present during the simulated surgical procedure; and in response to determining that the incorrect setup is present, causing output of surgical feedback information by the first output device to indicate an effect of the incorrect setup on the simulated surgical procedure, the output of surgical feedback information including output via a display screen and/or an audio speaker. a simulation processing component including at least one processor; and a manipulator arm connected to a surgical instrument, wherein the manipulator arm is positioned in a simulation area relative to a physical surgical site, wherein the simulation processing component is configured to perform operations in a simulated setup procedure, the operations in the simulated setup procedure comprising: determining a position of the manipulator arm relative to the physical surgical site, wherein the position of the manipulator arm is provided by a user; comparing the position of the manipulator arm to a reference position; and causing output of setup feedback information by a first output device based on a result of comparing the position of the manipulator arm, the setup feedback information indicating an evaluation of the position of the manipulator arm provided by the user, and determining a position of the manipulator arm relative to the physical surgical site, wherein the position of the manipulator arm is provided by a user; comparing the position of the manipulator arm to a reference position; and causing output of setup feedback information by a first output device based on a result of comparing the position of the manipulator arm, the setup feedback information indicating an evaluation of the position of the manipulator arm provided by the user, and wherein the simulation processing component is configured to perform operations in a simulated surgical procedure based on a resulting position of the manipulator arm resulting from the simulated setup procedure, the operations in the simulated surgical procedure comprising: reading position signals for the manipulator arm that describe at least one of a position or a configuration of the surgical instrument relative to the physical surgical site, wherein the at least one of the position or the configuration are based on control signals corresponding to inputs by a user of the system; determining whether an incorrect setup performed during the simulated setup procedure and detected based on the comparing of the position of the manipulator arm is present during the simulated surgical procedure; and in response to determining that the incorrect setup is present, causing output of surgical feedback information by the first output device to indicate an effect of the incorrect setup on the simulated surgical procedure, the output of surgical feedback information including output via a display screen and/or an audio speaker. reading position signals for the manipulator arm that describe at least one of a position or a configuration of the surgical instrument relative to the physical surgical site, wherein the at least one of the position or the configuration are based on control signals corresponding to inputs by a user of the system; determining whether an incorrect setup performed during the simulated setup procedure and detected based on the comparing of the position of the manipulator arm is present during the simulated surgical procedure; and in response to determining that the incorrect setup is present, causing output of surgical feedback information by the first output device to indicate an effect of the incorrect setup on the simulated surgical procedure, the output of surgical feedback information including output via a display screen and/or an audio speaker.