From gaming to surgery: the influence of digital natives on robotic skills development

Our study investigates the potential correlation between generational differences, like age and previous experience with digital innovations, such as video games and smartphones, and the performance on the Da Vinci Skills Simulator, the cornerstone of robotic surgery training. Thirty participants were involved from three age groups: Generation Alpha, Generation Z, and Generation X. None had prior robotic surgical experience. Participants performed the Wrist Articulation 1 task on the Da Vinci Skills Simulator after two practice rounds. Analysis of performance metrics and statistical tests were conducted to assess the differences between groups. Additionally, participants had completed a survey on their habits related to video gaming, smartphone, and computer usage. A trend was observed where performance declined with age, meaning that Generation Alpha performed the most successfully compared to the other generations, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.51). However, significant differences were found in Glass Movement (GM) by Generation Z showing superior precision, making less errors (p = 0.019). The study found no correlation between simulator performance and early or frequent exposure to smartphones or video games. Interestingly, frequent two-thumb typing on smartphones correlated with better performance in the GM metric (p = 0.006). Generation Z demonstrated greater precision in handling the simulator, reflecting that robotic surgery training might be best to be started at the beginning of residency programs. Young doctors using two-thumb typing develop robotic surgery skills faster. Further studies are needed to determine whether this quicker learning would also lead to better skills later on.