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Is mental training suitable for teaching a surgical procedure to students? A single-center study using a hernia model
Miro Kopp1, Guido Woeste2, Hanan El Youzouri1
1Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main Frankfurt, Department of General, Visceral, Transplantation, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital and Clinics, Theodor‑Stern‑Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Hernia : the Journal of Hernias and Abdominal Wall Surgery
|October 3, 2025
Summary
Mental skills training (MST) alone did not improve surgical performance in medical students compared to traditional
Area of Science:
- Surgical Education
- Medical Training
- Simulation in Medicine
Background:
- New surgical skills training methods are needed.
- Mental skills training (MST) is effective for surgeons.
- Research on MST for medical students is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore if minimalist MST supports surgical performance in medical students.
- To compare MST with the conventional 'see one, do one' approach.
- To evaluate performance on a hernia repair model.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel, inexpensive benchtop hernia model.
- Randomized medical students into 'See one, do one' and 'See one' + MST groups.
- Assessed surgical performance via video evaluation by experienced surgeons.
Main Results:
- The 'See one, do one' group performed significantly better overall.
- Stitching consistency was comparable between groups.
- MST group showed inferior performance on most objective metrics.
Conclusions:
- MST alone is insufficient for teaching complex procedures to medical students.
- Practical training is crucial for surgical skill acquisition.
- Combining MST with hands-on training requires further investigation.
