title: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of mental training in the acquisition of technical skills in surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mental training is rehearsal of mental imagery without physically performing the task. The aim of the study was to perform systematic review and meta-analysis on all the available data to evaluate the role of mental training in the acquisition of surgical technical skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following search databases were used: EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Clinicaltrials.gov.uk, SIGN guidelines, NICE guidelines, and Cochrane review register. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.2 statistical software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a total of 9 randomized controlled trials with 474 participants, of which 189 participants received mental training. Five randomized controlled trials concluded positive impact of mental training. Mental training group did not show any significant improvement in overall performance of the task carried in each study (P = .06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental training can be used as an important supplementary tool in learning surgical skills when run in parallel with physical training and applied to trainees with some experience of the skill.
authors.affiliation: Cuschieri Skills Centre, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK. Electronic address: ahsan.rao@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Ahsan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Cuschieri Skills Centre, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tait
authors.affiliation: Cuschieri Skills Centre, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alijani
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Mental imagery; Mental training; Surgical education; Technical skills