Survey of students' impressions of the robotic surgery simulator through a questionnaire

• Published in: Acta Medica Nagasakiensia Vol. 67; no. 1; pp. 19 - 25
• Main Authors: Imamura, Hajime, Adachi, Tomohiko, Matsumoto, Ryo, Adachi, Toshiyuki, Okada, Satomi, Maruya, Yasuhiro, Matsushima, Hajime, Hara, Takanobu, Kobayashi, Shinichiro, Inoue, Yusuke, Soyama, Akihiko, Hidaka, Masaaki, Kanetaka, Kengo, Eguchi, Susumu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nagasaki University School of Medicine 01.11.2023
• Subjects: Medical education; Questionnaire survey; Robotic surgery
• ISSN: 0001-6055
• DOI: 10.11343/amn.67.19

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify how clinical clerkship students' impressions of robotic surgery changed after completing practical training in the simulator.Methods: Forty-two final-year students who were selected to our department for a clinical clerkship in 2022 were given an overview of robotic surgery using a simulator. We created an original online questionnaire survey comprising seven multiplechoice questions and e-mailed it to each student after they completed the clinical clerkship.Results: The questionnaire response rate was 100%. Most students had heard about robotic surgery before their practical training (60%), and 80% were aware that our institution had simulators. However, only 36% of students had opportunities to touch the simulators before the clinical clerkship. The simulator was very useful in increasing the students’ interest in and familiarity with robotic surgery. However, simulation training alone did not lead to the medical students picturing themselves being involved in robotic surgery in the future.Conclusion: This questionnaire survey revealed both positive and negative aspects of the current situation of robotic surgery education for medical students. It was thought that not only education using simulators but also education about medical effects such as improvement of treatment effects by using robots would contribute to understanding of the significance of robotic surgery.