Evaluating instruction of medical students with a haptic surgical simulator : The importance of coordinating students' perspectives

• Objective: To examine the practices surrounding the use of a surgical simulator in training medical students. Design: Non-randomised observational study. Setting: Teaching hospital in Sweden. Methods: Two separate studies were performed using a haptically enabled (i.e. providing tactile feedback) surgical simulator. In the first study a total of 46 students and two instructors were observed as the students trained their speed and accuracy in locating spheres in a simulated abdomen, shoulder and knee. Through qualitative analysis of video of the instructors' teaching, methods for reconstituting medical practice in the simulations were observed. In the second, quantitative, study, a subgroup of 30 students performed two tests on the simulator, the first relying solely on the on-screen instructions available with the simulator and the second after receiving individual instruction from a practising surgeon. The difference between these two scores was analysed and students were asked to evaluate their experience of the simulator and training session. Results: The first study demonstrated what methods the instructors used to help students relate the computer screen image to human anatomy, and to make the training with the simulator clinically relevant and authentic. The instructors did this by actively aligning and coordinating the students' perspectives, and by reconstituting patient bodies into the simulation. In the second study the students' test results were significantly improved after receiving instruction from the surgeon. Conclusion: The results from these two studies demonstrate the important role that instructors play in simulator training. They also suggest practices to consider when designing a programme for simulator training.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)