Luna Muhamad - Department of Anesthesiology
Imagine waking up as a resident prepared to go in to play video games for your training. In fields such as anesthesiology, your training is dependent on the hospital and center where you are located as well as the amount of exposure you receive to certain cases. One of these areas includes the anesthetic management of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Due to unequal distributions of liver transplant surgeries performed at different medical institutions, many residents and anesthesiology providers receive uneven OLT training. A “serious game” was created to train residents with the skills and knowledge needed for anesthetic management of a standard OLT while implementing the self-motivated elements of video games.
A randomized controlled trial was created to test if adding serious games to the training of anesthesiology residents will have a significant increase in learning. A total of 44 anesthesiology residents on their liver transplant rotation were split into two groups, the gaming group (GG) and the control group (CG). Both groups had the same educational resources and literature during their rotation, while GG also had the OLT trainer video game. Both groups’ performances on simulations were recorded on standardized grading rubrics. Both groups had an overall score improvement but the improvement for GG was statistically significant.
How does this impact future education? Since the study has shown gaming to improve academic success it can be implemented in all levels of education. Academic gaming can offer the future of education to be dynamic and an immersive learning experience while being effective, and enjoyable. Integrating academic gaming into curricula could not only bridge gaps in training but could also expose students to a diverse range of training scenarios while preparing them for rare medical situations. Further studies can be implemented to see the long-term effects of gaming on students' academic performance as well as to get a better understanding of what students prefer. This study reiterates how the future of education holds the potential for significant transformation and advancements that can enhance learning experiences and training strength for all, regardless of the size of their academic institution.
References:
Katz D, Zerillo J, Kim S, Hill B, Wang R, Goldberg A, DeMaria S. Serious gaming for orthotopic liver transplant anesthesiology: A randomized control trial. Liver Transpl. 2017 Apr;23(4):430-439. doi: 10.1002/lt.24732.
Edited By: Firas Batrash, Editor-in-Chief
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