Screening surgical residents’ laparoscopic skills using virtual reality tasks: Who needs more time in the sim lab?

This study investigated the possibility of using virtual reality perceptual-motor tasks as a screening tool for laparoscopic ability. We hypothesized that perceptual-motor skills assessed using virtual reality will correlate with the quality of simulated laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. Surgical residents (N = 37), performed 2 virtual reality perceptual-motor tasks: (1) force matching and (2) target tracking. Participants also performed a laparoscopic ventral hernia repair on a simulator and final product quality score, and endoscopic visualization errors were calculated. Correlational analysis was performed to assess the relationship between performance on virtual reality tasks and laparoscopic ventral hernia repair. Residents with poor performance on force matching in virtual reality—“peak deflection” (r = –0.34, P < .05) and “summation distance” (r = –0.36, P < .05)—had lower final product quality scores. Likewise, poor performance in virtual reality–based target tracking—“path length” (r = –0.49, P < .05) and “maximum distance” (r = –0.37, P < .05)—correlated with a lower final product quality score. Our findings support the notion that virtual reality could be used as a screening tool for perceptual-motor skill. Trainees identified as having poor perceptual-motor skill can benefit from focused curricula, allowing them to hone personal areas of weakness and maximize technical skill.