title: A microprocessor-controlled psychomotor tester for minimal access surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is little reported information on psychomotor performance in relation to minimal access surgery (MAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A microprocessor-controlled endoscopic psychomotor tester (the Dundee Endoscopic Psychomotor Tester-DEPT) has been developed to evaluate psychomotor aspects of MAS. Experiments were conducted on 20 medical undergraduates to evaluate accuracy and reliability of the tester.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study demonstrated a significant difference between subjects (p < 0.01). It also identified three individuals who enacted 16, 22, and 40 errors while the majority (85%) sustained less errors with a median of 4.5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DEPT provides a standard, reproducible, objective real-time scoring system. It identifies individuals who cannot adjust to endoscopic viewing and therefore manipulate from endoscopic images.
authors.affiliation: Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee Tayside DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clinch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimi
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dunkley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuschieri
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011597:Psychomotor Performance