PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of past participation in athletics, the playing of musical instruments and video games and other variables on medical students' performance on an arthroscopic simulator task as well as other assessments of visuospatial ability.

METHODS

We assessed 50 medical students by using previously validated tests of manual dexterity and spatial reasoning as well as performance on an arthroscopic surgical simulator. Inclusion criteria were to be 18 years of age or older and to be a student studying in the M.D. program at a single public state university. Exclusion criteria were previous use of an arthroscopic surgery training device or active participation in an actual arthroscopic surgery, defined as participating as a surgeon, resident trainee, physician's assistant, or other similarly credentialed professional. Students were also assessed by the use of a high-fidelity ultrasound simulator as a marker of visuospatial capacity. Students were then surveyed about lifestyle characteristics and personal attributes hypothesized to predict surgical skill, such as playing sports, instruments or video games.

RESULTS

A total of 49 participants were included in this study. High levels of athletic experience were significantly associated with improved performance on the arthroscopic surgical simulator ( = .008). Participants with higher levels of athletic experience were more likely to achieve competence on the arthroscopic surgical simulator ( = .006). Scores on the arthroscopic simulator task were significantly correlated with both ultrasound simulator shape-identification task scores and masked mirror-tracing task scores, as independent measures of visuospatial ability ( = .015 and  = .013, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence of a statistically significant correlation between increased experience in athletics and single-use test performance on an arthroscopic surgical simulator. Subjects who reported higher levels of experience in athletics were significantly more likely to achieve competence in the arthroscopic surgical simulator task. Finally, statistically significant correlations were found between subjects' performance scores on tasks assessed by the surgical simulator, masked mirror-trace assessment and ultrasound simulator.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Simulator-based training and education allow for the development of arthroscopic skills prior to operating on a live patient in a clinical situation. This is an area of great interest in orthopaedic education. Our study evaluates parameters in a trainee that may relate to a higher performance level in technical skills on an arthroscopic surgical simulator.