Surgeons Who Play Video Games Daily Are More Skilled: Study

 According to a study published in the February 2017 issue of Archives of Surgery, playing video games may help improve surgical skills. The study found a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's ability to perform laparoscopic surgery, a technique that involves manipulating instruments through a small incision or body opening. The study also found that surgeons who had played video games at least three hours per week made 37% fewer errors, performed 27% faster, and scored 42% better on a surgical skills test than those who had never played video games before. The correlation was stronger than a surgeon's length of training or prior experience in laparoscopic surgery.

Playing video games may help improve surgical skills, according to a study published in the February 2017 issue of Archives of Surgery. The study found that there is a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's ability to perform laparoscopic surgery, a technique that involves manipulating instruments through a small incision or body opening.

The study also revealed that out of 33 surgeons from Beth Israel Medical Center 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 percent fewer errors, performed 27 percent faster, and scored 42 percent better in the test of surgical skills than the 15 surgeons who had never played video games before. This correlation was much higher than the surgeon's length of training or prior experience in laparoscopic surgery.

The researchers found that video game skills translated into higher scores on a day-and-half-long surgical skills test. 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.

This is an exciting finding as it suggests that video games can be used as a form of training for surgeons, helping them to hone their skills and improve their performance in the operating room. The study's authors said that it was surprising that past commercial video game play was such a strong predictor of advanced surgical skills.

In conclusion, playing video games may not only be a fun leisure activity but it also has the potential to improve a surgeon's skills and performance. This research is a significant milestone for video games, as it shows how they can be used as a form of training in a professional field.