Trainee doctors with video-game experience better at intubation, Galway study finds
The study also found that baseline dexterity, left-handedness, and prior video-gaming experience consistently translated into higher simulator scores
New research led by a doctor at the University of Galway has shown that virtual reality simulation training can significantly boost life-saving airway intubation skills in medical trainees.
The study by Dr Aoife O’Grady, which was published this week by the Irish Journal of Medical Science, examined how beginners could learn a delicate technique used to insert a breathing tube using a flexible camera.
It evaluated 20 medical students with no prior experience who were split between standard 10-minute familiarisation and two hours of supervised training on a virtual reality simulator.
Participants faced four simulated airway scenarios, with those receiving two hours of training demonstrating superior performance, particularly in difficult cases.
In a simulated macroglossia scenario – an airway obstructed by severe tongue swelling – mean scores jumped from 45.5% among control participants to 68.1% following simulator training.
The study also found that baseline dexterity, left-handedness, and prior video-gaming experience consistently translated into higher simulator scores, whereas sex and sporting activity showed minimal effect.
The authors concluded that virtual reality simulation may allow trainees to secure fundamental manipulation skills prior to direct patient contact, serving as a valuable adjunct to contemporary airway training.