NCT01560494

Validation of a Curriculum (STAC) for Technical Skill Acquisition in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Validation of a Structured Training and Assessment Curriculum (STAC) for Technical Skill Acquisition in Minimally Invasive Surgery. A Randomized Controlled Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (actual)
• Sponsor: Unity Health Toronto · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study describes the development and validation of a structured training and assessment curriculum (STAC) for a basic laparoscopic procedure. The investigators hypothesized that residents trained using the STAC curriculum would demonstrate superior technical skills in the operating room compared to residents that were trained using a traditional curriculum.

Detailed description

The objective of this study was to develop and validate an ex-vivo comprehensive curriculum for a basic laparoscopic procedure. Although simulators have been well validated as tools to teach technical skills, their integration into comprehensive curricula is lacking. Moreover, neither the effect of ex-vivo training on learning curves in the operating room (OR), nor the effect on non-technical proficiency has been investigated. This randomized single-blinded prospective trial allocated 20 surgical trainees to a structured-curriculum (STAC) group or conventional residency training. The STAC curriculum consisted of: case-based learning, proficiency-based virtual reality training, laparoscopic box training, and OR participation. After completion of the intervention, all participants performed 5 sequential laparoscopic cholecystectomies in the OR. The primary outcome measure was the difference in technical performance between the 2 groups during the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Secondary outcome measures included differences with respect to: learning curves in the OR, technical proficiency of each sequential laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and non-technical skills.

Conditions

• Surgical Education

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	STAC curriculum	The STAC curriculum consists of theoretical preparation, case-based learning, proficiency-based virtual reality training, laparoscopic box training, and operating room participation.

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-07-01
• Primary completion: 2009-07-01
• Completion: 2010-07-01
• First posted: 2012-03-22
• Last updated: 2012-03-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada