The Effect of Fatigue on Cognitive and Psychomotor Skills of Surgical Residents

An Epiduroscopy Simulator Based on a Serious Game for Spatial Cognitive Training (EpiduroSIM): User-Centered Design Approach (Preprint)

“…Owing to MIS, the ability to perform mechanical tasks has become important but the importance of cognitive skills has not diminished. As laparoscopic surgeries and robotic surgeries require significant levels of cognitive and decision-making abilities [24], a few simulators have been studied to provide cognitive training to surgeons [7,23,36]. In these studies, a variety of virtual reality tasks were designed to improve specific cognitive skills such as movement planning, working memory, and preparatory attention.…”

Cognitive training: How can it be adapted for surgical education?

“…In industries such as aviation, simulation has emerged as a successful method for delivering cognitive training [47] and the possibility of adding a 'cognitive layer' to medical simulator programs is now being explored. A study by Kahol et al [3] designed a selection of virtual reality tasks inspired by neuropsychological  CTA group also completed the task in less time, with fewer attempts assessment, with each task targeting a specific cognitive skill, including movementplanning, working-memory and preparatory-attention . A later study goes on to validate this methodology, both verifying the learning effect of the cognitive exercises and demonstrating that they led to greater technical proficiency when compared to training on a 'standard' simulator program [47].…”

“…More recently, however, it is increasingly accepted that this is no longer the optimum way to deliver surgical training [1]. Simultaneously, there has been a growing understanding of the cognitive demands placed on surgeons [2,3]. As a result of such scrutiny, cognitive abilities such as problem solving and movement-planning have been highlighted as playing a crucial role in skill learning [3,4].…”

“…Simultaneously, there has been a growing understanding of the cognitive demands placed on surgeons [2,3]. As a result of such scrutiny, cognitive abilities such as problem solving and movement-planning have been highlighted as playing a crucial role in skill learning [3,4]. These factors have resulted in a shift away from teaching that exclusively trains the motor skills required to carry out a surgery, and towards training that targets the thought processes of surgical trainees.…”

Comparison of ‘Mental training’ and physical practice in the mediation of a structured facial examination: A quasi randomized, blinded and controlled study 

“…Thus, it would be optimal to establish a teaching method that does not involve many resources. Recently there has been a growing understanding that cognitive abilities, such as problem solving and movementplanning, play a crucial role in learning practical skills [10,11]. This has resulted in a shift away from training methods that exclusively focus on the acquisition of motor skills but rather target the actual thought process when performing a clinical skill.…”