Research from Montefiore Medical Center suggests surgeons-in-training achieve proficiency at different rates and simulation training may bridge those gaps in a safe and controlled environment.
For the study, 14 otorhinolaryngology junior residents were designated to either an experimental group which had eight subjects or a control group which had six subjects. There was also a third group of six attending surgeons who set the benchmark against which the other groups were compared.
The experimental group was trained to proficiency on the simulator and the control group was trained in the current standard fashion by performing a limited number of defined sinus surgery procedures. Both groups were then compared to each other and with the attending surgeons who were experts in this type of procedure.
The researchers found that while the experimental group and the control group each had improved after undergoing training, the experimental group performed similarly if not outperformed control subjects in the final procedure and were indistinguishable in some tasks from the attending surgeons. The researchers concluded current protocols may not be enough to properly and adequately train residents, whose learning are highly individualistic. Simulation training may be a robust tool in this learning process.
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For the study, 14 otorhinolaryngology junior residents were designated to either an experimental group which had eight subjects or a control group which had six subjects. There was also a third group of six attending surgeons who set the benchmark against which the other groups were compared.
The experimental group was trained to proficiency on the simulator and the control group was trained in the current standard fashion by performing a limited number of defined sinus surgery procedures. Both groups were then compared to each other and with the attending surgeons who were experts in this type of procedure.
The researchers found that while the experimental group and the control group each had improved after undergoing training, the experimental group performed similarly if not outperformed control subjects in the final procedure and were indistinguishable in some tasks from the attending surgeons. The researchers concluded current protocols may not be enough to properly and adequately train residents, whose learning are highly individualistic. Simulation training may be a robust tool in this learning process.
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