Text Size

Validation of a Curriculum (STAC) for Technical Skill Acquisition in Minimally Invasive Surgery

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01560494
First received: March 13, 2012
Last updated: March 20, 2012
Last verified: March 2012
History of Changes
  Purpose

This study describes the development and validation of a structured training and assessment curriculum (STAC) for a basic laparoscopic procedure. The investigators hypothesized that residents trained using the STAC curriculum would demonstrate superior technical skills in the operating room compared to residents that were trained using a traditional curriculum.


Condition Intervention
Surgical Education
 Other: STAC curriculum

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor)
Official Title: Validation of a Structured Training and Assessment Curriculum (STAC) for Technical Skill Acquisition in Minimally Invasive Surgery. A Randomized Controlled Study

Further study details as provided by St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Technical skills [ Time Frame: 6 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Participants' technical skills will be assessed in the operating room as they perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy under supervision. The procedure will be video-recorded and sent for assessment to a blinded evaluator. Technical skills will be assessed using a previously validated technical skills assessment tool (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill - OSATS)


Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • cognitive knowledge [ Time Frame: 6 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Study participants will complete a multiple choice quiz designed to assess congitive knowledge relating to performing laparoscpoic cholecystectomy.


Enrollment: 20
Study Start Date: July 2008
Study Completion Date: July 2010
Primary Completion Date: July 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: STAC curriculum Other: STAC curriculum
The STAC curriculum consists of theoretical preparation, case-based learning, proficiency-based virtual reality training, laparoscopic box training, and operating room participation.
No Intervention: Conventional Curriculum

Detailed Description:

The objective of this study was to develop and validate an ex-vivo comprehensive curriculum for a basic laparoscopic procedure. Although simulators have been well validated as tools to teach technical skills, their integration into comprehensive curricula is lacking. Moreover, neither the effect of ex-vivo training on learning curves in the operating room (OR), nor the effect on non-technical proficiency has been investigated. This randomized single-blinded prospective trial allocated 20 surgical trainees to a structured-curriculum (STAC) group or conventional residency training. The STAC curriculum consisted of: case-based learning, proficiency-based virtual reality training, laparoscopic box training, and OR participation. After completion of the intervention, all participants performed 5 sequential laparoscopic cholecystectomies in the OR. The primary outcome measure was the difference in technical performance between the 2 groups during the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Secondary outcome measures included differences with respect to: learning curves in the OR, technical proficiency of each sequential laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and non-technical skills.

  Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • post graduate year 1 and 2 general surgical residents
  • completed less than 10 laparoscopic cholecystectomies or appendectomies as the primary surgeon
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01560494

Locations
Canada, Ontario
St. Michael's Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B1W8
Sponsors and Collaborators
St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Teodor Grantcharov, MD, PhD St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto
  More Information

No publications provided by St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto

Additional publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):

Responsible Party: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01560494     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: STAC
Study First Received: March 13, 2012
Last Updated: March 20, 2012
Health Authority: Canada: Ethics Review Committee

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 16, 2013