Comprehensive Laparoscopic Curriculum for Medical Students

Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard approach to a vast variety of surgical procedures. Due factors such as 2D- to 3D conversion, reduced tactile sensation, amplification of tremor and fulcrum effect of the abdominal wall, surgeons require a different set of skills than in open access surgery. Acknowledging this, several comprehensive curricula have been developed to teach basic skills as well as advanced laparoscopic procedures. Despite a recent emphasis on early exposure of medical students to surgery no designated curricula have been developed to introduce medical students to the technique of laparoscopic surgery.

Participation in an introductory curriculum in laparoscopic surgery results in improved cognitive and technical performance compared to self-directed learning. The greater homogeneity and fewer dropouts amongst those in the curriculum group suggest that a structured curriculum is essential in ensuring standardization of clinically relevant training. An introductory curriculum for medical students should be delivered in a structured and standardized fashion prior to clinical exposure in order to maintain motivation and enhance learning.

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Key information

Conditions

Education Laparoscopic Surgery

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Univeristy of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

first and second year medical students

Exclusion criteria

previous exposure to laparoscopy or laparoscopic simulation

Treatment and study plan

Curriculum

Other

Primary outcomes

Cognitive Knowledge

Time frame: 1 week

Participants' basic laparoscopic knowledge was assessed regarding topics such as advantages and disadvantages, patient selection considerations, equipment, anesthesia, patient positioning, pneumoperitoneum, and post-op care. Assessment was by a multiple choice test.
Team-based (non-technical) skills

Time frame: 1 week

Participants' attitudes towards team based skills, namely team structure, leadership, situational awareness, and communication were assessed by the Team-STEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ).
Technical Skills

Time frame: 5 weeks

Participants' technical skills were assessed as they performed peg transfer, intracorporeal suture, and virtual reality simulator tasks (grasping, cutting, and clipping). Peg transfer and intracorporeal suture were assessed by time and errors, while VR tasks were assessed by the simulator's pre-set metrics.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Unity Health Toronto

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Introduction of a Comprehensive Training Curriculum in Laparoscopic Surgery for Medical Students: a Randomized Trial.

Important dates

Study start: 2012
Primary completion: 2012
Study completion: 2012
First posted: May 20, 2013
Registry last updated: Nov 17, 2015

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed