Mental Practice, Visualization, and Mental Imagery in Surgery: a Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cognitive Psychology
• Surgical Training

Background:

• Physicians require continuous learning of new knowledge, techniques, and technologies.
• Mental practice is a cognitive strategy used across professions to hone skills and prepare for challenging tasks.
• Limited research exists on the application of mental practice in clinical practice, particularly for surgeons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and assess the usefulness of mental practice for surgeons in acquiring skills.
• To evaluate the evidence supporting mental practice for improving surgical performance.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Evaluation of 12 selected studies on mental practice in surgical skill acquisition.
• Analysis of research on the efficacy of mental practice for surgeons.

Main Results:

• The reviewed studies indicate clear advantages of using mental practice for improving overall surgical performance.
• Evidence suggests mental practice aids in surgical skill acquisition.
• Mental practice is a viable tool for optimizing surgeon abilities.

Conclusions:

• Mental practice offers significant benefits for surgical skill acquisition and performance enhancement.
• The review supports the integration of mental practice into surgical training.
• Discussion includes how mental practice can be learned and performed effectively.