Development of laparoscopic skills in skills-naïve trainees using self-directed learning with take-home laparoscopic trainer boxes

To determine if take home laparoscopic trainer boxes with only self-directed learning can develop laparoscopic skills in surgically naive learners. 74 starting PGY1 OB/Gyn residents and OB/Gyn clerkship medical students volunteered for the study. Learners performed a laparoscopic peg transfer task with only task instructions and no additional training. Initial tasks were recorded and scored. The participants took home a laparoscopic trainer box for 3 weeks to practice without guidance and returned to perform the same task for a second/final score. Initial and final scores were compared for improvement. This improvement was compared to practice and variables such as demographics, surgical interest, comfort with laparoscopy, and past experiences. Mean peg transfer task scores improved from 287 (SD = 136) seconds to 193 (SD = 79) seconds (p