Description and validation of a structured simulation curriculum for strabismus surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Education
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Strabismus surgery requires specialized skills that are traditionally learned through lengthy residency programs.
• Current training methods may not adequately prepare residents for the complexities of strabismus surgery.
• Simulation-based training offers a promising avenue for enhancing surgical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and validate a web-based, structured simulation curriculum for strabismus surgery training.
• To assess the effectiveness of non-cadaveric eye models in teaching strabismus surgical techniques.
• To evaluate the impact of the simulation curriculum on residents' cognitive skills and comfort levels.

Main Methods:

• A systematic ophthalmology wet lab (OWL) curriculum was developed, incorporating pre- and posttests for cognitive skills.
• Objective structured assessment of technique and summative global evaluations were used.
• Residents participated in simulated strabismus surgery on non-cadaveric eye models, with comfort levels assessed via Likert scale questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Participant test scores significantly improved from an average of 65% to 91% (P = 0.0002).
• Resident comfort levels increased across key surgical tasks, including passing scleral sutures (2.6 to 4.3, P = 0.0008), muscle isolation and suturing (2.6 to 4.3, P = 0.00004), and instrument identification (2.7 to 4.6, P = 0.0007).
• Statistical analysis confirmed significant improvements in all measured parameters.

Conclusions:

• A structured simulation curriculum effectively enhances both knowledge and comfort levels in strabismus surgery for residents.
• Web-based simulation using non-cadaveric models provides a valuable tool for surgical training in ophthalmology.
• This approach demonstrates a statistically significant improvement in resident preparedness for strabismus surgery.