Comprehensive Laparoscopic Curriculum for Medical Students

Education Clinical Trial

Official title:

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

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01857180
• Other study ID #: Med Student Lap Curriculum
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 15, 2013
• Last updated: November 16, 2015
• Start date: June 2012
• Est. completion date: August 2012

Study information

• Verified date: November 2015
• Source: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Canada: Ethics Review Committee
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 24
• Est. completion date: August 2012
• Est. primary completion date: August 2012
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• first and second year medical students

Exclusion Criteria:

• previous exposure to laparoscopy or laparoscopic simulation

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Subject)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Education
• Laparoscopic Surgery

Intervention

Other:
• Curriculum

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	Univeristy of Toronto	Toronto	Ontario

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Cognitive Knowledge	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.	1 week	No
Primary	Team-based (non-technical) skills	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).	1 week	No
Primary	Technical Skills	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.	5 weeks	No