Task sequencing effects for open and closed loop laparoscopic skills.

The present study examined laparoscopic skill acquisition on a simulator for different sequences of open and closed loop tasks. Sixteen medical students were divided into four groups distinguished by their initial training task and subsequent transfer task. Group 1 practiced instrument navigation, an open loop task, and then transferred to grasping, a closed loop task.

Comparison of a virtual reality simulator and simulated limbs for phlebotomy training.

The current study compared the CathSim virtual reality simulator with simulated limbs for phlebotomy training. In the first experiment, medical students completed two 1-hour training sessions using 1 of the 2 methods. Afterward, the students' performance was assessed with both simulated limbs and genuine patients.

The efficacy of a medical virtual reality simulator for training phlebotomy.

Objective: The present study compared the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) simulator for training phlebotomy with that of a more traditional approach using simulated limbs.

Background: Phlebotomy, or drawing blood, is one of the most common medical procedures; yet, there are no universal standards for training and assessing performance. The absence of any standards can lead to injuries and inaccurate test results if the procedure is improperly performed.

A simulation-based training system for surgical wound debridement.

A simulation-based training system for surgical wound debridement was developed and comprises a multimedia introduction, a surgical simulator (tutorial component), and an assessment component. The simulator includes two PCs, a haptic device, and mirrored display. Debridement is performed on a virtual leg model with a shallow laceration wound superimposed.

Assessing surgical skill training under hazardous conditions in a virtual environment.

The present study examined the performance of a surgical procedure under simulated combat conditions. Eleven residents performed a cricothyroidotomy on a mannequin-based simulator in a fully immersive virtual environment running a combat simulation with a virtual sniper under both day and night time lighting conditions. The results showed that completion times improved between the first and second attempt and that differences between day and night time conditions were minimal.

A comparison of the CathSim system and simulated limbs for teaching intravenous cannulation.

The present study describes a comparison between the CathSim VR simulator and simulated limbs for training IV cannulation. Two groups of physician assistant students underwent 2 hours of training on either method. Performance was assessed before and after training with a standardized assessment form.