Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating The Effect Of Music On The Virtual Reality Laparoscopic Learning Performance Of Novice Surgeons

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 19 Jan 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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UroToday.com - Many surgeons like to have music playing in their operating room (OR) as they perform surgery. For those surgeons who are training residents in the OR take heed, music in the OR may distract novice surgeons and reduce the effectiveness of new task performance and learning.

These researchers randomized 45 junior residents with no laparoscopic experience to surgical task training on a VR laparoscopic simulator with activating or arousing music, deactivating music or no music. The global task score, total task times and instrument distance traveled, all improved with experience in all 3 groups. The global score showed a trend for the group listening to activating music to have the worst performance. The no music group had the best global scores.

This preliminary study would suggest that surgical instructors should turn off music during teaching procedures, especially for novice residents.

Miskovic D, Rosenthal R, Zingg U, Oertli D, Metzger U, Jancke L
Surg Endosc. 2008 Nov;22(11):2416-20
doi: 10.1007/s00464-008-0040-8

Written by UroToday.com Contributing Editor Elspeth M. McDougall, MD, FRCSC, MHPE

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