Introduction: We investigated the impact of learning style on novices’ acquisition of minimally invasive surgical (MIS) basic skills.
Methods: One hundred five novice medical students underwent text-based (TB), video-based (VB), or faculty-tutored (FT) single session instruction in three basic MIS skills tasks on a box trainer. Pre-session, participants completed a validated questionnaire related to learning style preference. Four raters evaluated every video performance of one task, a two handed peg transfer, using a 16 cm visual analogue measurement (VAM). Inter-rater reliability was good. T-test statistical analysis was used to test the hypothesis that the students who received instructions that matched their learning style preferences(e.g., TB instruction in read/write learners) had a bigger increase in VAM after training than those whose learning style preferencesdidn’t match the instruction methods received (e.g. aural learners receiving TB instruction).
Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the VAM performance score gain of participants with matched learning style preference and method of instruction and the VAM gain of participants with non-matched learning style preference and method of instruction.
Conclusions: Matching learning style preferenceto method of instruction does not appear to impact the effectiveness of novices’ acquisition of MIS basic skills. Low cost instructional methods in this setting appear as effective as faculty teaching regardless of participant learning style preference.
Session: Poster
Program Number: P228
