Gaming Improves Surgical Skill - Confirmed

[fitbabits]

Source - news.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,21256080-7486,00.html?from=public_rss).

PLAYING video games appears to help surgeons with skills that truly count: how well they operate using a precise technique, a study revealed today.

There was a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's capabilities performing laparoscopic surgery in the study published in the February issue of Archives of Surgery.

Laparoscopy and related surgeries involve manipulating instruments through a small incision or body opening where the surgeon's movements are guided by watching a television screen.

Video game skills translated into higher scores on a day-and-half-long surgical skills test, and the correlation was much higher than the surgeon's length of training or prior experience in laparoscopic surgery, the study said.

Out of 33 surgeons from Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York that participated in the study, the nine doctors who had at some point played video games at least three hours per week made 37 per cent fewer errors, performed 27 per cent faster, and scored 42 per cent better in the test of surgical skills than the 15 surgeons who had never played video games before.
Now all we need to do is narrow the salary gap between surgeons and gamers so that the knowledge is compensated appropriately.

[oldschooldimo]

Now all we need to do is narrow the salary gap between surgeons and gamers so that the knowledge is compensated appropriately.


i second this motion, all in favor say Wii

[Sandman]

I know how to get surgical with a shotgun or two in most games....don't think thats the kind of surgery the article refers to though.

[Syrinx]

Did they unlock any achievements for the faster surgeries?

[Johan]

Fine motor skills, rapid reactions, precision...all part of gaming.

[Deadend]

See! Whoever said Trauma Center was not realistic was WRONG! Why else would surgeons get better? And Lawyers do better after Phoenix Wright, and high school students better after Bully... I need to go play some dating sims to work on my skills.

[agentgray]

I just wonder if surgical skill improves gaming?

[Sandman]

See! Whoever said Trauma Center was not realistic was WRONG! Why else would surgeons get better? And Lawyers do better after Phoenix Wright, and high school students better after Bully... I need to go play some dating sims to work on my skills.

I think the japanese can hook you up.

[Crono]

I just wonder if surgical skill improves gaming?

i lol'ed, i needed it, thanks! :D

[Taco]

Apparently it doesn't improve amateur surgery performed out of one's basement.



Not that I have any sort of experience with this or anything... yeah.

[mkelehan]

Someone did a similar study with Monkey Ball a while back.

[TrackZero]

i second this motion, all in favor say Wii

Having just tried out Trauma Centre on it yesterday, I'm going to have to say Nay. Since it's not a 3D simulation. But it definitely has the right idea. Now if someone makes a more serious version of the game, and then we'll have something interesting.

[pseudopseudo]

See! Whoever said Trauma Center was not realistic was WRONG! Why else would surgeons get better? And Lawyers do better after Phoenix Wright, and high school students better after Bully... I need to go play some dating sims to work on my skills.
Watch Episode 2 of Pure Pwnage (http://www.purepwnage.com). Sadly, l33t skills do not translate well into the real world, when it comes to dating. ;)

[Vagabondllama]

Correlation does not imply causation. Maybe they're good at surgery and video games because they're naturally dexterious? Dunno.

[Deadend]

Watch Episode 2 of Pure Pwnage (http://www.purepwnage.com). Sadly, l33t skills do not translate well into the real world, when it comes to dating. ;)
Oh, I know that quite well, which is why you gotta play the right game. I may have to go on a 48 hour Sims 2 binge to make the most socially acceptable Sim I can, but to do this would require avoiding socializing. Also, when striking up pointless conversations, people hate it when you go "blah blah soccer ball, blah blah alien head blah blah sunshine" while gesturing franticly.

[Thenetcase]

NOTE: When they operated on Jack Thompson, the doctors with gaming experience made 95% more errors, worked 50% slower and had a 98% failure rate. Statistics for doctors with no gaming experience remained the same.

;)

[Echani]

Balls, and I put in my applications for entry into med school a month ago. Shoulda put GAMER on my CV. And maybe GUITAR HERO.

[Nim]

See! Whoever said Trauma Center was not realistic was WRONG! Why else would surgeons get better? And Lawyers do better after Phoenix Wright, and high school students better after Bully... I need to go play some dating sims to work on my skills.

Yes, I realize this was teh funny, but speaking as an actual lawyer, I have to say that the people who made Phoenix Wright couldn't have gotten it more wrong if they tried. It's aggressively wrong in every single way.

Particularly the part where the hot 38DD boss is bludgeoned to death. That almost NEVER happens to me.

[DarkDaY]

my longest friend is a doctor in er, and we never missed a game since before it started,
he spent his time off on christmas with his wife while they played zelda tp, he got 2 copies.

And apparently alot of his co workers are hardcore too.

[Deadend]

Yes, I realize this was teh funny, but speaking as an actual lawyer, I have to say that the people who made Phoenix Wright couldn't have gotten it more wrong if they tried. It's aggressively wrong in every single way.

Particularly the part where the hot 38DD boss is bludgeoned to death. That almost NEVER happens to me.
Yeah, I noticed that the legal system in PW is so fucked. As you have to prove people innocent by blaming someone else, and that is just the most obvious bit. But damn does it make for some entertaining action.

[Loganrapp]

Correlation does not imply causation. Maybe they're good at surgery and video games because they're naturally dexterious? Dunno.

Did you just come from Slashdot? Sounds like the equivalent of "show me sources."

They took the variable of gaming out, and what happened is that test scores were lower. All surgeons should be naturally dexterious. It would be quite the coincidence if the entire control group wasn't, don't you think?

[gojira]

NOTE: When they operated on Jack Thompson, the doctors with gaming experience made 95% more errors, worked 50% slower and had a 98% failure rate. Statistics for doctors with no gaming experience remained the same.

;)

We... tried our best... the patient... developed complications during surgery... water on the brain... our only hope was to amputate... sadly the patient... did not survive.

RIP Jack.

[Vagabondllama]

They took the variable of gaming out, and what happened is that test scores were lower. All surgeons should be naturally dexterious. It would be quite the coincidence if the entire control group wasn't, don't you think?

Oh, maybe I misunderstood the study then. I just read the initial post, not the whole article. I thought that they just tested people and found that those that were better at surgery were also gamers.

And no, I haven't been to slashdot in a while =)

[Meusli]

"made 37 per cent fewer errors"


Oh my god they must make a shit load of mistakes while operating to have 37 per cent lower mistakes, looks like its more healthy to say at home.

[OrangePulp]

Yes, because everyone knows how healthy it is to have, say, appendicitis, and NOT get your appendix surgically removed.

Cool news, though.

[Meusli]

Yes, because everyone knows how healthy it is to have, say, appendicitis, and NOT get your appendix surgically removed.

Cool news, though.

You need an op on your sarcasm lobe ;)

[Sophism]

Did you just come from Slashdot? Sounds like the equivalent of "show me sources."

They took the variable of gaming out, and what happened is that test scores were lower. All surgeons should be naturally dexterious. It would be quite the coincidence if the entire control group wasn't, don't you think?
It is the equivalent of "show me sources," actually.

It is nearly impossible to establish causation with a study like this. The study does have strong predictive value for laparoscopic surgical skill, but if you read the actual paper, they make their strongest case for HUD's being a likely explanation for the difference in "skill." Laparoscopic surgery is a "screen-mediated application," and they think the level of recent exposure to similar types of stimulus is a big factor here.

I mean, basing a "Gaming does X, Y, or Z - Confirmed" statement on a popular news site's explanation of one study that acknowledges possible reasons for a correlation between playing games and something else...you can call it Slashdot behavior or whatever you'd like, I don't think it's accurate or informative.

Also, research sucks.

[rinichanraar]

Yeah, I don't doubt that Trauma Center has probably increased my skill in, you know, disarming bombs and performing surgery in the dark. :p