Surgical novices randomized to train in two video games become more motivated during training in MIST-VR and GI Mentor II than students with no video game training.

We investigated if engagement modes and perceived self-efficacy differed in surgical novices before and after randomized training in two different video games during five weeks, and a control group with no training. The control group expressed to a higher extent negative engagement modes during training in MIST-VR and GI Mentor II than the experimental groups. No statistically significant differences in self-efficacy were identified between groups. Both engagement modes and self-efficacy showed a positive correlation with previous and present video game experience. It is suggested that videogame training could have a framing effect on surgical simulator performance. EM and SE might be important intermediate variables between the strength of relationship between current videogame experience and simulator performance.

Training diagnosis and treatment of cervical spine trauma using a new educational program for visualization through imaging and simulation (VIS): a first evaluation by medical students.

In this pilot study we investigated how medical students evaluated a VIS practice session. Immediately after training 43 students answered a questionnaire on the training session. They evaluated VIS as a good interactive scenario based educational tool.

Surgical simulation tasks challenge visual working memory and visual-spatial ability differently.

BACKGROUND: New strategies for selection and training of physicians are emerging. Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between visual-spatial ability and visual working memory with surgical simulator performance. The aim of this study was to perform a detailed analysis on how these abilities are associated with metrics in simulator performance with different task content. The hypothesis is that the importance of visual-spatial ability and visual working memory varies with different task contents. METHODS: Twenty-five medical students participated in the study that involved testing visual-spatial ability using the MRT-A test and visual working memory using the RoboMemo computer program. Subjects were also trained and tested for performance in three different surgical simulators. The scores from the psychometric tests and the performance metrics were then correlated using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: MRT-A score correlated significantly with the performance metrics Efficiency of screening (p = 0.006) and Total time (p = 0.01) in the GI Mentor II task and Total score (p = 0.02) in the MIST-VR simulator task. In the Uro Mentor task, both the MRT-A score and the visual working memory 3-D cube test score as presented in the RoboMemo program (p = 0.02) correlated with Total score (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In this study we have shown that some differences exist regarding the impact of visual abilities and task content on simulator performance. When designing future cognitive training programs and testing regimes, one might have to consider that the design must be adjusted in accordance with the specific surgical task to be trained in mind.

Systematic video game training in surgical novices improves performance in virtual reality endoscopic surgical simulators: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a correlation between previous video game experience and performance in minimally invasive surgical simulators. The hypothesis is that systematic video game training with high visual-spatial demands and visual similarity to endoscopy would show a transfer effect on performance in virtual reality endoscopic surgical simulation. METHODS: A prospective randomized study was performed. Thirty surgical novices were matched and randomized to five weeks of systematic video game training in either a first-person shooter game (Half Life) with high visual-spatial demands and visual similarities to endoscopy or a video game with mainly cognitive demands (Chessmaster). A matched control group (n = 10) performed no video game training during five weeks. Performance in two virtual reality endoscopic surgical simulators (MIST-VR and GI Mentor II) was measured pre- and post-training. Before simulator training we also controlled for students' visual-spatial ability, visual working memory, age, and previous video game experience. RESULTS: The group training with Half Life showed significant improvement in two GI Mentor II variables and the MIST-VR task MD level medium. The group training with Chessmaster only showed an improvement in the MIST-VR task. No effect was observed in the control group. As recently shown in other studies, current and previous video game experience was important for simulator performance. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic video game training improved surgical performance in advanced virtual reality endoscopic simulators. The transfer effect increased when increasing visual similarity. The performance in intense, visual-spatially challenging video games might be a predictive factor for the outcome in surgical simulation.

Transfer of systematic computer game training in surgical novices on performance in virtual reality image guided surgical simulators.

We report on a pilot study that investigates the transfer effect of systematic computer game training on performance in image guided surgery. In a group of 22 surgical novices, subjects were matched and randomized into one group training with a 3-D first person shooter (FPS) game and one group training with a 2-D non-FPS game. We also included a control group. Subjects were tested pre- and post training in the MIST-VR and GI-Mentor surgical simulators. We found that subjects with past experience specific to FPS games were significantly better in performing the simulated endoscopy task, both regarding time and efficiency of screening, compared to subjects lacking FPS game experience. Furthermore subjects who underwent systematic FPS game training performed better in the MIST-VR than those training with a 2-D game. Our findings indicate a transfer effect and that experience of video games are important for training outcome in simulated surgical procedures. Video game training can become useful when designing future skills training curricula for surgeons.

Visual-spatial ability is more important than motivation for novices in surgical simulator training: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether surgical simulation performance and previous video gaming experience would correlate with higher motivation to further train a specific simulator task and whether visual-spatial ability would rank higher in importance to surgical performance than the above. It was also examined whether or not motivation would correlate with a preference to choose a surgical specialty in the future and if simulator training would increase the interest in choosing that same work field. METHODS: Motivation and general interest in surgery was measured pre- and post-training in 30 medical students at Karolinska Institutet who were tested in a laparoscopic surgical simulator in parallel with measurement of visual-spatial ability and self-estimated video gaming experience. Correlations between simulator performance metrics, visual-spatial ability and motivation were statistically analyzed using regression analysis. RESULTS: A good result in the first simulator trial correlated with higher self-determination index (r =-0.46, p=0.05) in male students. Visual-spatial ability was the most important underlying factor followed by intrinsic motivation score and finally video gaming experience (p=0.02, p=0.05, p=0.11) regarding simulator performance in male students. Simulator training increased interest in surgery when studying all subjects (p=0.01), male subjects (p=0.02) as well as subjects with low video gaming experience (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study highlights individual differences regarding the effect of simulator training on motivation that can be taken into account when designing simulator training curricula, although the sample size is quite small and findings should be interpreted carefully.

A pilot evaluation of an educational program that offers visualizations of cervical spine injuries: medical students' self-efficacy increases by training.

In this pilot study, a new method for visualization through imaging and simulation (VIS-Ed) for teaching diagnosis and treatment of cervical spine trauma was formatively evaluated. The aims were to examine if medical students' self-efficacy would change by training using VIS-Ed, and if so these changes were related to how they evaluated the session, and the user interface (UI) of this program. Using a one-group, pre-post course test design 43 Swedish medical students (4th year, 17 males, 26 females) practiced in groups of three participants. Overall the practice and the UI were considered as positive experiences. They judged VIS-Ed as a good interactive scenario-based educational tool. All students' self-efficacy increased significantly by training (p < 0.001). Spearman's rank correlation tests revealed that increased self-efficacy was only associated with: how the session was compared to as expected (p < 0.007). Students' self-efficacy increased significantly by training, but replication studies should determine if this training effect is gender-related.

Endourological simulator performance in female but not male medical students predicts written examination results in basic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between endourological simulator performance and demonstrated theoretical knowledge in the basic surgical sciences. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 158 fourth year medical students participated in the study, 83 females and 75 males, all surgical novices. All students performed the flexible endoscopic task Hall of Fame in the urological simulator URO Mentor™. Later during the same semester all students took the final theoretical examination in surgery. RESULTS: In female medical students a significant correlation was found between surgical simulator performance and the examination results (r = -0.22, p = 0.04). There was no statistically significant correlation when looking at the total study population (r = -0.04, p = 0.58) or when looking at male medical students (r = 0.01, p = 0.9). CONCLUSION: Female medical students completing an endourological simulator task more efficiently passed the theoretical examination in the basic surgical sciences with significantly higher scores than females with low efficiency in the urological simulator. There are likely to be several explanations for this correlation, such as motivation and a lower amount of current video gaming experience.