BMJ Video about Surgical Simulation

Here's a very interesting video from the BMJ about surgical simulation. One interesting comment I heard in the video was that surgical trainees who had used the simulator performed in a similar fashion to trainees who had performed the operation many times before.

Here's the conclusion from the RCT "Effect of virtual reality training on laparoscopic surgery: randomised controlled trial"
"Skills in laparoscopic surgery can be increased in a clinically relevant manner using proficiency based virtual reality simulator training. The performance level of novices was increased to that of intermediately experienced laparoscopists and operation time was halved. Simulator training should be considered before trainees carry out laparoscopic procedures."