Medical students' attitudes to laparoscopic surgery.
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.
Hotokezaka
Masayuki
M
Department of Surgical Oncology and Regulation of Organ Function, Miyazaki University School of Medicine, 5200, Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
Chijiiwa
Kazuo
K
Kondo
Kazuhiro
K
Kai
Masahiro
M
Eto
Tada-Aki
TA
Hidaka
Hideki
H
Jimi
Sei-Ichiro
S
Maehara
Naoki
N
Ohuchida
Jiro
J
Matsumoto
Kohtaro
K
Nakao
Hiroyuki
H
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*