Spatial ability, experience, and skill in laparoscopic surgery

Previous research showing correlations between spatial ability and surgical skills has used participants in relatively early stages of training. Research in skill acquisition has shown that the role of cognitive abilities can diminish as skills become increasingly automatic. In this study, we explor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of surgery 2004-07, Vol.188 (1), p.71-75
Main Authors: Keehner, Madeleine M, Tendick, Frank, Meng, Maxwell V, Anwar, Haroon P, Hegarty, Mary, Stoller, Marshall L, Duh, Quan-Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Achievement tests
Biological and medical sciences
Clinical Competence
Cognition & reasoning
Cognitive ability
Female
Gender
General aspects
General Surgery - education
Humans
Laparoscopic surgery
Laparoscopy
Male
Medical sciences
Psychometrics
Psychomotor Performance
Questionnaires
San Francisco
Skill acquisition
Skills
Space Perception
Spatial ability
Studies
Surgery
Urologic Surgical Procedures - education
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Summary:Previous research showing correlations between spatial ability and surgical skills has used participants in relatively early stages of training. Research in skill acquisition has shown that the role of cognitive abilities can diminish as skills become increasingly automatic. In this study, we explored the role of spatial ability in laparoscopic surgical skills in two groups, one experienced and the other relatively inexperienced. Subjects were recruited from two videoscopic courses: an advanced course for experienced surgeons and a laparoscopic urological surgery course attended by participants with relatively little laparoscopic experience. Three measures were obtained: spatial abilities, videoscopic experience, and operative skills. A significant correlation ( r = 0.393) was found between spatial ability and skills in the lower experience group but not among the experienced surgeons ( r = 0.020). The results are consistent with the prediction that the importance of spatial ability in performance of laparoscopic skills should diminish with experience.
ISSN:0002-9610
1879-1883
DOI:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2003.12.059