Do not teach me while I am working

• Published in: The American journal of surgery Vol. 203; no. 2; pp. 253 - 257
• Main Authors: Dubrowski, Adam, Ph.D, Brydges, Ryan, Ph.D, Satterthwaite, Lisa, Xeroulis, George, M.D., M.Ed., F.R.C.S.C, Classen, Roger, D.O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-02-2012; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - education; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical Competence; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cohort Studies; Computer simulation; Education; Fundoplication - education; General aspects; General surgery; General Surgery - education; Health participants; Hip; Hospitals; Humans; Internship and Residency; Laparoscopy; Learning; Medical sciences; Memory; Multitasking; Orthopedics; Performance measurement; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Residency; Simulation; Skills; Surgery; Task Performance and Analysis; Validation studies; Validity; Multitasking; Simulation; General surgery; Education; Residency; Orthopedics; Medicine; Resident (student); Teaching
• ISSN: 0002-9610; 1879-1883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2010.08.020

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to determine if technical surgical experience enhances the learning of new cognitive information under multitasking conditions. Methods Junior (years 1–3) and experienced (years 4 and 5) general surgery residents performed a Nissen fundoplication on a synthetic model (the primary task). While performing the primary task, they listened to and memorized information describing the steps of a computer-assisted hip replacement surgery (the secondary task). Performance on the primary and secondary tasks was assessed using performance metrics and multiple-choice questions. Results The primary task was performed better by the senior than the junior trainees ( P = .001, P = .007). The senior trainees also scored higher on the secondary task than the junior trainees ( P = .001). Conclusions Senior trainees have superior capacity to multitask. This may have direct implications on both clinical and simulation-based education, such that educators need to adjust the amount of information presented in accordance to trainees' levels of training.