title: Mental practice: effective stress management training for novice surgeons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgeons are often subject to excessive levels of acute stress that can impair their performance. Mental practice (MP) is a strategy used in other high-performance industries to alleviate anxiety. This study investigated if MP reduces stress in novice surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomized controlled design was used with 20 novice surgeons recruited by random sampling. After baseline testing, participants underwent training on an evidence-based virtual reality (VR) curriculum. They then performed 5 VR laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC) after being randomized to MP or control groups. The MP group performed 30 minutes of MP using a validated MP training protocol before each LC; control participants conducted an unrelated activity. Stress was assessed subjectively using the validated State-Trait Anxiety-Inventory (STAI) questionnaire and objectively with a continuous heart rate (HR) monitor and salivary cortisol. Mental imagery was assessed using the validated mental imagery questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen participants completed the study. There were no intergroup differences in baseline stress, imagery, or technical ability. Comparing the MP group with controls, subjective stress (STAI) was lower for the MP group (median 8.40 vs 11.31, p < 0.01). Objective stress was also significantly reduced for the MP group in terms of the average HR (median 72 vs 88 beats/minute, p < 0.0001), maximum HR (median 102 vs 119 beats/minute, p < 0.01), and cortisol (median 2.26 vs 3.85 nmol/L, p < 0.05). Significant negative correlations were obtained between stress and imagery, indicating that improved imagery was associated with lower stress (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A short period of MP reduces the subjective, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine response to stress on a VR simulator. Additional research should determine whether this effect extends beyond novice surgeons and transfers to the operating room.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK. Sonal.Arora06@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sonal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Aidan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Pramudith
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sirimanna
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crochet
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darzi
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kneebone
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sevdalis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D008297:Male; D009873:Operating Rooms; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone