Mastery Learning – does the method of learning make a difference in skills acquisition for robotic surgery?

Background Few studies compare the effectiveness of blocked vs random practice conditions in minimally invasive surgery training, and none have evaluated these in robotic surgery training. Methods The dV‐Trainer® and the da Vinci® Surgical System (dVSS) were used to compare practice conditions. Forty‐two participants were randomized into blocked and random practice groups. Each participant performed five tasks: Ring Walk, Thread the Rings, Needle Targeting, Suture Sponge and Tubes Level 2. Transfer to the dVSS was also assessed. Results No significant differences were observed between the two groups, except for a few instances. For example, during Ring Walk, the random group performed significantly faster than the blocked group (100.78 ± 5.26 s vs 121.59 ± 5.26 s, p