Incentivising practice with take-home laparoscopic simulators in two UK Core Surgical Training programmes.
Laura G Nicol1, Kenneth G Walker1, Jennifer Cleland2
1Highland Surgical Research Unit, NHS Highland, Centre for Health Science, Inverness, UK.
BMJ Simulation & Technology Enhanced Learning
|May 6, 2022
Summary
Providing surgical trainees with laparoscopic simulators did not increase practice, but engaged participants improved skills and reduced anxiety. Future strategies should address barriers to simulation use.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
Background:
- Laparoscopic simulator practice enhances surgical trainees' basic skills and cognitive function.
- However, equipment provision alone does not guarantee frequent practice.
- This study investigates methods to incentivize simulation practice in surgical training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess an approach for incentivizing laparoscopic simulator practice among core surgical trainees.
- To identify barriers to simulator engagement and explore trainee anxieties.
- To provide recommendations for improving simulation-based training.
Main Methods:
- 30 core surgical trainees received take-home laparoscopic simulators with training modules.
- Attaining target scores earned eCertificates, linked to theatre progression.
- Questionnaires assessed confounding variables and laparoscopic anxieties.
Main Results:
- Overall engagement was poor (44% completed at least one task, 26% completed all).
- Reasons for low engagement included poor internet, busy rotations, and exams.
- Engaged trainees showed performance improvements and significantly reduced anxiety (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Take-home simulators with targets did not effectively incentivize practice.
- Subgroup engagement led to performance gains and reduced anxiety.
- Obligatory simulation-based assessments are proposed to overcome practice barriers.
