Satisfaction or Distraction: Exposure to Nonpreferred Music May Alter the Learning Curve for Surgical Trainees

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Cognitive Performance

Background:

• Growing evidence supports music's benefits for task performance.
• Limited data exists on music's impact on surgical and procedural learners.
• Investigating music's effect in this population is crucial for optimizing training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effects of nonpreferred music on surgical and procedural learners.
• To determine if music preference influences performance in simulated surgical tasks.
• To explore implications for environmental conditions in resident training.

Main Methods:

• Single-blinded, randomized crossover trial.
• Participants completed music preference surveys.
• Tasks performed on a Da Vinci Skills Simulator Si with varied music conditions.

Main Results:

• Participants showed improvement with task repetition.
• Nonpreferred music did not significantly change scores in one group.
• Preferred music led to significant improvement in task scores (p < 0.001).
• Overall, preferred music significantly increased scores compared to nonpreferred music (p = 0.025).

Conclusions:

• Music's impact on performance was comparable to task experience.
• Nonpreferred music may offset learning gains from task repetition.
• Findings suggest careful consideration of music in resident procedural training environments.