Education, Laparoscopic Surgery
Conditions
Brief summary
Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard approach to a vast variety of surgical procedures. Due factors such as 2D- to 3D conversion, reduced tactile sensation, amplification of tremor and fulcrum effect of the abdominal wall, surgeons require a different set of skills than in open access surgery. Acknowledging this, several comprehensive curricula have been developed to teach basic skills as well as advanced laparoscopic procedures. Despite a recent emphasis on early exposure of medical students to surgery no designated curricula have been developed to introduce medical students to the technique of laparoscopic surgery. Participation in an introductory curriculum in laparoscopic surgery results in improved cognitive and technical performance compared to self-directed learning. The greater homogeneity and fewer dropouts amongst those in the curriculum group suggest that a structured curriculum is essential in ensuring standardization of clinically relevant training. An introductory curriculum for medical students should be delivered in a structured and standardized fashion prior to clinical exposure in order to maintain motivation and enhance learning.
Interventions
OTHERCurriculum
Sponsors
Unity Health Toronto
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* first and second year medical students
Exclusion criteria
* previous exposure to laparoscopy or laparoscopic simulation
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Knowledge | 1 week | Participants' basic laparoscopic knowledge was assessed regarding topics such as advantages and disadvantages, patient selection considerations, equipment, anesthesia, patient positioning, pneumoperitoneum, and post-op care. Assessment was by a multiple choice test. |
| Team-based (non-technical) skills | 1 week | Participants' attitudes towards team based skills, namely team structure, leadership, situational awareness, and communication were assessed by the Team-STEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ). |
| Technical Skills | 5 weeks | Participants' technical skills were assessed as they performed peg transfer, intracorporeal suture, and virtual reality simulator tasks (grasping, cutting, and clipping). Peg transfer and intracorporeal suture were assessed by time and errors, while VR tasks were assessed by the simulator's pre-set metrics. |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed