Resident Arthroscopy Simulation Curriculum Implementation and The Effect on Simulator Usage

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Orthopedic Surgery Training

Background:

• Arthroscopy simulation enhances resident performance but requires regular use for maximum benefit.
• Current low utilization of surgical simulators by trainees stems from the absence of formal curricula.
• Program directors and trainees desire surgical simulation, highlighting a need for structured educational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of implementing a formal arthroscopy simulation curriculum on resident utilization of simulators.
• To quantify changes in simulator usage following curriculum introduction in orthopedic surgery residency programs.

Main Methods:

• A multi-center retrospective cohort study involving 80 residents across two programs with a new curriculum and 26 in a control program.
• The curriculum recommended specific modules during sports rotations for PGY1, PGY2, and PGY4 residents.
• Simulator usage data before and after curriculum implementation were compared using two-tailed t-tests.

Main Results:

• Simulator utilization increased by 4.7-fold (0.05 to 0.24 hours/resident/month) in programs with the curriculum.
• Across all programs, curriculum implementation led to a 2.3-fold increase in simulator use (0.10 to 0.24 hours/resident/month, p=0.0022).

Conclusions:

• A formal, recommended arthroscopy simulation curriculum significantly boosts resident simulator utilization.
• Structured curricula are crucial for ensuring residents effectively engage with and benefit from surgical simulation tools.