Simulator-based Medical Skill TrainingV-LAPNCT07837388
Video Game Experience and Warm-Up Effects on Laparoscopic Skills Among Medical Students
A study testing Surgical Simulator and 10 minute exercice of videogame in people with Simulator-based Medical Skill Training, run by Universidade de Passo Fundo at 1 site in Brazil.
Trial summary
"In surgical practice, alternative training methods are being investigated to enhance laparoscopic skills. The potential correlation between video game playing and technical performance improvements raises the question of whether a brief video game exposure immediately before simulated surgical practice can yield… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Simulator-based Medical Skill Training
- What is being tested?
- Surgical Simulator and 10 minute exercice of videogame
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 44 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBrazil
- Study dates
- 10 Sep 2025to 12 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Medical students across all training levels
- Availability to perform all study activities
Who cannot join
- Prior participation in the surgical field during any laparoscopic procedure
- Contraindications to simulator use (previous hand surgery, uncorrected visual impairment, or epilepsy)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Impact of Prior Video Game Exposure Combined With a Video Game Warm-Up on Laparoscopic Simulation Performance: A Quasi-Experimental Study Among Medical Students.
"In surgical practice, alternative training methods are being investigated to enhance laparoscopic skills. The potential correlation between video game playing and technical performance improvements raises the question of whether a brief video game exposure immediately before simulated surgical practice can yield tangible benefits in required tasks. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the impact of prior video game exposure on laparoscopic simulation performance among medical students and first-year residents. This is an experimental, cross-sectional study with post-intervention assessment, conducted at the University of Passo Fundo with 44 undergraduate medical students who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria, following approval by the UPF Research Ethics Committee. This project was developed through a literature review in electronic databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Virtual Health Library (BVS), PubMed, UpToDate, and Google Scholar. The most relevant data were then compiled to guide the subsequent data collection."
- Conditions
- Simulator-based Medical Skill Training
- Being tested
- Surgical Simulator, 10 minute exercice of videogame
- Keywords
- Videogame, Surgical Simulator, Medical Students
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Surgical SimulatorBehavioural
Also called Black box
Exercise of 10 beans in a Surgical Simulator Device
10 minute exercice of videogameOther
Also called Videogame Valorant
10 minutes exercise in training mode of the videogame Valorant in a PS5 console.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic gamers with video game warm-up group | Active comparator | Chronic gamers defined by criteria of the study with video game warm up before using the surgical simulator Receives: Behavioral: Surgical Simulator; Other: 10 minute exercice of videogame |
| Chronic gamers without video game warm-up group | Placebo comparator | Chronic gamers defined by criteria of the study without video game warm up before using the surgical simulator Receives: Behavioral: Surgical Simulator |
| Non chronic gamers with video game warm-up group | Active comparator | Non chronic gamers defined by criteria of the study with video game warm up before using the surgical simulator Receives: Behavioral: Surgical Simulator; Other: 10 minute exercice of videogame |
| Non chronic gamers without video game warm-up group | Placebo comparator | Non chronic gamers defined by criteria of the study without video game warm up before using the surgical simulator Receives: Behavioral: Surgical Simulator |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Better score in participants with the intervention of the warm up
The score was defined by the evaluation of the videos of the participants using the simulator, made by two different and double blinded surgeons.
Measured: From the enrollment to the end of the intervention
Better abilities in surgical simulators by chronic video game users
To define chronic video gamers we made and used a questionnaire, that questioned about frequency, types of videogame, types of platforms now and during the adolescence period. And the abilities on the surgical simulators were determined by the evaluation of the two surgeons as was said in the other item.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the interventions.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Sep 2026
- Study start10 Sep 2025
- Primary completion5 Mar 2026
- Study completion12 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (17)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Simulator-based Medical Skill TrainingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 44 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade de Passo Fundo
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Passo Fundo
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Isadora Dominiak da Silveira, Universidade de Passo Fundo
- Investigators
- Jorge Marcante Carlotto, Doctor, Study director, Universidade de Passo Fundo
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07837388
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 90247725.9.0000.5342
- Acronym
- V-LAP
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: We do not believe in the necessity or that it will benefit the cientificamente community to provide individual information about our participants. But we are open to share codified information about our results.
Publications
Schlottmann F. Simulation in surgical education: mentors' point of view. AME Surg J. 2021;1:1-6. Available at: https://asj.amegroups.org/article/view/53991. Accessed 28 Apr 2025
Keles HO, Omurtag A. Video game experience affects performance, cognitive load, and brain activity in laparoscopic surgery training. Turk J Surg. 2023 Jun 19;39(2):95-101. doi: 10.47717/turkjsurg.2023.5674. eCollection 2023 Jun.
PubMed 38026907Ikonen TS, Antikainen T, Silvennoinen M, Isojarvi J, Makinen E, Scheinin TM. Virtual reality simulator training of laparoscopic cholecystectomies - a systematic review. Scand J Surg. 2012;101(1):5-12. doi: 10.1177/145749691210100102.
PubMed 22414461Kulkarni S, Kulkarni Y, Bates-Powell J, Kulkarni MS, Sule M. Evaluation of the Console in Acquiring Laparoscopic Skills through Video Gaming. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2020 May-Jun;27(4):875-882.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2019.07.028. Epub 2019 Aug 2.
PubMed 31382037Harrington CM, Chaitanya V, Dicker P, Traynor O, Kavanagh DO. Playing to your skills: a randomised controlled trial evaluating a dedicated video game for minimally invasive surgery. Surg Endosc. 2018 Sep;32(9):3813-3821. doi: 10.1007/s00464-018-6107-2. Epub 2018 Feb 14.
PubMed 29445864Adams BJ, Margaron F, Kaplan BJ. Comparing video games and laparoscopic simulators in the development of laparoscopic skills in surgical residents. J Surg Educ. 2012 Nov-Dec;69(6):714-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2012.06.006.
PubMed 23111035Seymour NE, Gallagher AG, Roman SA, O'Brien MK, Bansal VK, Andersen DK, Satava RM. Virtual reality training improves operating room performance: results of a randomized, double-blinded study. Ann Surg. 2002 Oct;236(4):458-63; discussion 463-4. doi: 10.1097/00000658-200210000-00008.
PubMed 12368674Aggarwal R, Mytton OT, Derbrew M, Hananel D, Heydenburg M, Issenberg B, MacAulay C, Mancini ME, Morimoto T, Soper N, Ziv A, Reznick R. Training and simulation for patient safety. Qual Saf Health Care. 2010 Aug;19 Suppl 2:i34-43. doi: 10.1136/qshc.2009.038562.
PubMed 20693215Chaarani B, Ortigara J, Yuan D, Loso H, Potter A, Garavan HP. Notice of Retraction and Replacement. Chaarani B, et al. Association of Video Gaming With Cognitive Performance Among Children. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(10):e2235721. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Apr 3;6(4):e236895. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6895. No abstract available.
PubMed 37036710Hong J, Su Y, Wang J, Xu X, Qu W, Fan H, Tan Y, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Tan S. Association between video gaming time and cognitive functions: A cross-sectional study of Chinese children and adolescents. Asian J Psychiatr. 2023 Jun;84:103584. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103584. Epub 2023 Apr 14.
PubMed 37075676Green CS, Bavelier D. Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature. 2003 May 29;423(6939):534-7. doi: 10.1038/nature01647.
PubMed 12774121Harbin AC, Nadhan KS, Mooney JH, Yu D, Kaplan J, McGinley-Hence N, Kim A, Gu Y, Eun DD. Prior video game utilization is associated with improved performance on a robotic skills simulator. J Robot Surg. 2017 Sep;11(3):317-324. doi: 10.1007/s11701-016-0657-x. Epub 2016 Nov 16.
PubMed 27853947Schlickum MK, Hedman L, Enochsson L, Kjellin A, Fellander-Tsai L. Systematic video game training in surgical novices improves performance in virtual reality endoscopic surgical simulators: a prospective randomized study. World J Surg. 2009 Nov;33(11):2360-7. doi: 10.1007/s00268-009-0151-y.
PubMed 19649553Rosser JC Jr, Lynch PJ, Cuddihy L, Gentile DA, Klonsky J, Merrell R. The impact of video games on training surgeons in the 21st century. Arch Surg. 2007 Feb;142(2):181-6; discusssion 186. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.142.2.181.
PubMed 17309970Kennedy AM, Boyle EM, Traynor O, Walsh T, Hill AD. Video gaming enhances psychomotor skills but not visuospatial and perceptual abilities in surgical trainees. J Surg Educ. 2011 Sep-Oct;68(5):414-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2011.03.009. Epub 2011 May 26.
PubMed 21821223
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Impact of Prior Video Game Exposure Combined With a Video Game Warm-Up on Laparoscopic Simulation Performance: A Quasi-Experimental Study Among Medical Students.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07837388
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- V-LAP / 90247725.9.0000.5342
- Conditions
- Simulator-based Medical Skill Training
- Keywords
- Videogame, Surgical Simulator, Medical Students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 44 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade de Passo FundoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Passo Fundo
- Study start
- 10 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 5 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 12 May 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
"In surgical practice, alternative training methods are being investigated to enhance laparoscopic skills. The potential correlation between video game playing and technical performance improvements raises the question of whether a brief video game exposure immediately before simulated surgical practice can yield tangible benefits in required tasks. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the impact of prior video game exposure on laparoscopic simulation performance among medical students and first-year residents. This is an experimental, cross-sectional study with post-intervention assessment, conducted at the University of Passo Fundo with 44 undergraduate medical students who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria, following approval by the UPF Research Ethics Committee. This project was developed through a literature review in electronic databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Virtual Health Library (BVS), PubMed, UpToDate, and Google Scholar. The most relevant data were then compiled to guide the subsequent data collection."
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic gamers with video game warm-up group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Surgical Simulator, Other: 10 minute exercice of videogameChronic gamers defined by criteria of the study with video game warm up before using the surgical simulator |
| Chronic gamers without video game warm-up group | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: Surgical SimulatorChronic gamers defined by criteria of the study without video game warm up before using the surgical simulator |
| Non chronic gamers with video game warm-up group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Surgical Simulator, Other: 10 minute exercice of videogameNon chronic gamers defined by criteria of the study with video game warm up before using the surgical simulator |
| Non chronic gamers without video game warm-up group | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: Surgical SimulatorNon chronic gamers defined by criteria of the study without video game warm up before using the surgical simulator |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Medical students across all training levels
- Availability to perform all study activities
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Prior participation in the surgical field during any laparoscopic procedure
- Contraindications to simulator use (previous hand surgery, uncorrected visual impairment, or epilepsy)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical SimulatorAlso: Black boxExercise of 10 beans in a Surgical Simulator Device | Behavioural | Chronic gamers with video game warm-up group, Chronic gamers without video game warm-up group, Non chronic gamers with video game warm-up group, Non chronic gamers without video game warm-up group |
| 10 minute exercice of videogameAlso: Videogame Valorant10 minutes exercise in training mode of the videogame Valorant in a PS5 console. | Other | Chronic gamers with video game warm-up group, Non chronic gamers with video game warm-up group |
Primary outcome
Better score in participants with the intervention of the warm up
Time frame: From the enrollment to the end of the intervention
The score was defined by the evaluation of the videos of the participants using the simulator, made by two different and double blinded surgeons.
Better abilities in surgical simulators by chronic video game users
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the interventions.
To define chronic video gamers we made and used a questionnaire, that questioned about frequency, types of videogame, types of platforms now and during the adolescence period. And the abilities on the surgical simulators were determined by the evaluation of the two surgeons as was said in the other item.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Sep 2026.
- BackgroundSchlottmann F. Simulation in surgical education: mentors' point of view. AME Surg J. 2021;1:1-6. Available at: https://asj.amegroups.org/article/view/53991. Accessed 28 Apr 2025
- Background: PubMed 38026907Keles HO, Omurtag A. Video game experience affects performance, cognitive load, and brain activity in laparoscopic surgery training. Turk J Surg. 2023 Jun 19;39(2):95-101. doi: 10.47717/turkjsurg.2023.5674. eCollection 2023 Jun.
- Background: PubMed 22414461Ikonen TS, Antikainen T, Silvennoinen M, Isojarvi J, Makinen E, Scheinin TM. Virtual reality simulator training of laparoscopic cholecystectomies - a systematic review. Scand J Surg. 2012;101(1):5-12. doi: 10.1177/145749691210100102.
- Background: PubMed 31382037Kulkarni S, Kulkarni Y, Bates-Powell J, Kulkarni MS, Sule M. Evaluation of the Console in Acquiring Laparoscopic Skills through Video Gaming. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2020 May-Jun;27(4):875-882.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2019.07.028. Epub 2019 Aug 2.
- Background: PubMed 29445864Harrington CM, Chaitanya V, Dicker P, Traynor O, Kavanagh DO. Playing to your skills: a randomised controlled trial evaluating a dedicated video game for minimally invasive surgery. Surg Endosc. 2018 Sep;32(9):3813-3821. doi: 10.1007/s00464-018-6107-2. Epub 2018 Feb 14.
- Background: PubMed 23111035Adams BJ, Margaron F, Kaplan BJ. Comparing video games and laparoscopic simulators in the development of laparoscopic skills in surgical residents. J Surg Educ. 2012 Nov-Dec;69(6):714-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2012.06.006.
- Background: PubMed 12368674Seymour NE, Gallagher AG, Roman SA, O'Brien MK, Bansal VK, Andersen DK, Satava RM. Virtual reality training improves operating room performance: results of a randomized, double-blinded study. Ann Surg. 2002 Oct;236(4):458-63; discussion 463-4. doi: 10.1097/00000658-200210000-00008.
- Background: PubMed 20693215Aggarwal R, Mytton OT, Derbrew M, Hananel D, Heydenburg M, Issenberg B, MacAulay C, Mancini ME, Morimoto T, Soper N, Ziv A, Reznick R. Training and simulation for patient safety. Qual Saf Health Care. 2010 Aug;19 Suppl 2:i34-43. doi: 10.1136/qshc.2009.038562.
- Background: PubMed 37036710Chaarani B, Ortigara J, Yuan D, Loso H, Potter A, Garavan HP. Notice of Retraction and Replacement. Chaarani B, et al. Association of Video Gaming With Cognitive Performance Among Children. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(10):e2235721. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Apr 3;6(4):e236895. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6895. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 37075676Hong J, Su Y, Wang J, Xu X, Qu W, Fan H, Tan Y, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Tan S. Association between video gaming time and cognitive functions: A cross-sectional study of Chinese children and adolescents. Asian J Psychiatr. 2023 Jun;84:103584. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103584. Epub 2023 Apr 14.
- Background: PubMed 12774121Green CS, Bavelier D. Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature. 2003 May 29;423(6939):534-7. doi: 10.1038/nature01647.
- Background: PubMed 27853947Harbin AC, Nadhan KS, Mooney JH, Yu D, Kaplan J, McGinley-Hence N, Kim A, Gu Y, Eun DD. Prior video game utilization is associated with improved performance on a robotic skills simulator. J Robot Surg. 2017 Sep;11(3):317-324. doi: 10.1007/s11701-016-0657-x. Epub 2016 Nov 16.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. We do not believe in the necessity or that it will benefit the cientificamente community to provide individual information about our participants. But we are open to share codified information about our results.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jorge Marcante Carlotto, Doctor study director
Universidade de Passo Fundo
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Surgical Simulator and 10 minute exercice of videogame in people with Simulator-based Medical Skill Training, run by Universidade de Passo Fundo at 1 site in Brazil.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Brazil. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Better score in participants with the intervention of the warm up (time frame: From the enrollment to the end of the intervention). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07837388, which also lists 17 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Sep 2026.