Effect of computer game playing on baseline laparoscopic simulator skills

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Conflicting research exists on the link between computer game playing and laparoscopic skills.
• A clear relationship between gaming habits and baseline laparoscopic simulator performance has not been established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between previous and current computer game playing and baseline performance on a virtual reality (VR) laparoscopic simulator.
• To assess this relationship in a cohort of prospective medical students.

Main Methods:

• Forty-eight high school students completed questionnaires on their computer game playing habits (frequency and type) over the past year and three years prior.
• Participants then performed two tasks ('gallbladder dissection' and 'traverse tube') on a VR laparoscopic simulator.
• Performance metrics on the simulator were analyzed against self-reported gaming experience.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant association was found between prior or present computer game playing and baseline performance on the VR laparoscopic simulator.
• This lack of association held true for both general computer game playing and specifically for action game playing.

Conclusions:

• The study indicates that neither past nor present engagement in computer gaming appears to influence baseline performance in a virtual reality laparoscopic simulator.
• These findings suggest that gaming experience may not be a determining factor for initial proficiency in laparoscopic simulation tasks.