Mental practice in surgical training

Abstract

Introduction The traditional methods of surgical training through apprenticeship are evolving owing to time constraints and new models of surgical training. Surgical programmes have begun to encompass technological advances such as simulation technology and online courses to improve surgical skills in a safe environment. Simulation training is not universally available because of financial constraints. Mental practice (MP) and motor imagery (MI) is a form of mental rehearsal and simulation without the need for external inputs. It has been successful in sports and music, and is a time and cost effective strategy to improve skills. MP can be translated into surgical skill acquisition and the aim of this review was to provide a systematic narrative synthesis of the current literature to support the use of MP in surgical training. Methods A systematic search was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar™ to identify studies published up to March 2020 on MP in surgical skill acquisition. Results Nineteen studies were included in the review. Thirteen demonstrated a significant improvement in the knowledge and performance of the participants in learning surgical skills after MP. There was improved confidence in surgical trainees after MP in three studies. Conclusions MP appears to be effective in aiding surgical skill acquisition and retention. There is lack of methodological rigour in the design and development of the mental script, which is an important component in MP. MP augments physical practice and is a viable strategy to enhance surgical training. However, further studies are required to demonstrate that these skills are transferable to clinical practice.