Interval vs massed training: how best do we teach surgery?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Surgical Skills Training

Background:

• Novice surgical trainees require effective training methods for procedural proficiency.
• Myringotomy with ventilation tube insertion is a common otologic procedure.
• Surgical simulators offer a safe environment for skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of massed versus interval training paradigms for learning myringotomy with ventilation tube insertion on a surgical simulator.
• To assess the impact of training methodology on procedural proficiency and confidence levels in novice medical students.

Main Methods:

• Forty medical students were randomized into two groups: interval training (5 trials/day over 3 days) and massed training (15 trials in one session).
• Participants performed a simulated myringotomy procedure on a validated surgical simulator.
• Procedure completion time, error rates, and self-reported confidence were measured pre- and post-training.

Main Results:

• Both training groups demonstrated significant improvements in procedure completion time.
• No significant differences were found in average procedure time or error rates between the massed and interval training groups.
• Confidence levels in performing the procedure and working under a microscope increased significantly for all students.

Conclusions:

• Surgical simulation training effectively enhances proficiency in otologic procedures like myringotomy.
• The method of training, whether massed or interval, had minimal impact on the final proficiency achieved in this simulated setting.
• Further research may explore optimal training schedules for different surgical skills and learner types.