title: Training the next generation of robotic surgeons using guided mentorship: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of expert guided mentorship on technical score and time for a set of robotic training drills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification I).
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty trainees in robotic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inexperienced trainees underwent either a 20-minute expert guided mentorship session or no intervention. The primary outcomes were technical score and time-to-drill completion for a set of dry lab robotic training drills evaluated at an initial and final skills assessment. The t-test, including paired analyses, was used to evaluate outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine of 50 trainees (98%) completed the study. There were no significant differences in participant characteristics or initial performance between the 2 groups. During the final skills assessment, the intervention group demonstrated significantly better performance on 1 of 8 objective measures. They had a higher mean score for the bead transfer drill when compared with the control group (21.6 vs 19.9; p = .03). No differences in time-to-drill completion were noted between the 2 groups. Regardless of randomization, all participants had significantly improved scores for each of the drills on the final compared with the initial skills assessment (p < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although expert guided mentorship in a dry lab simulation environment seems feasible, further investigation is warranted before its widespread use because it may be more resource intensive than other teaching methods, without consistent objective improvements in technical performance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Margaret I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Georgia A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: McCann
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Kellie S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Floor J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Backes
authors.affiliation: Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cansino
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Electronic address: ritu.salani@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D066231:Surgeons / Q000193:education*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Guided mentorship; Robotic training; Surgical education