Background: Surgical simulation is a worthwhile but expensive technology. Commercially available video games for the Nintendo Wii which focus on visual search and attention rather than dexterity may provide an adjunct to training using high fidelity simulation for surgeons. Method: The study was a within subjects design with n = 54 surgical residents. Participants completed one level of both an ‘action’ video game on the Nintendo Wii (Link’s Crossbow Challenge), and ‘dexterity’ video game (Koroninpa: Marble Madness) and a standard surgical training task using a VR laparoscopic simulator. Results: Action video game score was significantly related to completion time of the surgical task (r = −.431, p<.01), controlling for laparoscopic experience. There was no relationship between the dexterity game and performance on the surgical simulator. Discussion: Although initially counter-intuitive, focusing on attention rather than dexterity skills once technical competence has been achieved may be a route to improve surgical performance in the operating room.
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