title: Medical students' attitudes to laparoscopic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the attitude of medical students to laparosocopic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and seven medical students completed a questionnaire regarding their visualization of, understanding of, and interest in observation of laparoscopic surgery via laparoscopic monitor (laparoscopic observation) and of open surgery, either directly (open direct observation), or via video monitor observation (open monitor observation). They were also asked about their willingness to become an operator (operator). Responses to each item were given as Likert-type scores ranging from 1 to 5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The visualization score was significantly lower for open direct observation than for open monitor observation (P<0.001) and laparoscopic observation (P<0.001), with the significantly lower score for open monitor observation than for laparoscopic observation (P<0.001). The understanding score was significantly lower for open direct observation than for open monitor observation (P<0.01) and laparoscopic observation (P<0.01). Interest scores did not differ between the three observation methods. The operator score was significantly higher for open surgery than for laparoscopic surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic surgery provides good visualization of the operative field. However, students' interest in laparoscopic surgery is similar to those of open surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology and Regulation of Organ Function, Miyazaki University School of Medicine, 5200, Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotokezaka
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chijiiwa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Tada-Aki
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Eto
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hidaka
authors.forename: Sei-Ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jimi
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohuchida
authors.forename: Kohtaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakao
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*