Quiet eye training improves surgical knot tying more than traditional technical training: a randomized controlled...

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Motor Skill Acquisition
• Human Factors in Medicine

Background:

• Surgical residents require proficient technical skills, such as knot tying.
• Traditional technical training (TT) may not optimize learning for complex motor tasks.
• Quiet eye (QE) training offers a potential alternative for skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of QE training versus TT for one-handed square knot tying in surgical residents.
• To evaluate the impact of QE training on performance, learning, retention, and transfer of surgical knot tying skills.

Main Methods:

• Twenty surgical residents were randomized into QE and TT groups.
• Participants underwent pretest, training, retention, and transfer phases.
• Eye-tracking technology recorded gaze and hand movements to assess performance and efficiency metrics.

Main Results:

• The QE group demonstrated superior knot tying performance and efficiency (longer QE duration, fewer fixations, faster times).
• QE training led to sustained performance in transfer tests, unlike TT.
• Both performance outcomes and movement efficiency were significantly enhanced by QE training.

Conclusions:

• QE training is more effective than traditional technical training for surgical knot tying.
• QE improves learning, retention, and transfer of surgical skills.
• QE enhances both the effectiveness and efficiency of surgical motor task performance.