Manuscript

Introduction

We aim to show that using tasks with increasing complexity and with increasing fidelity of simulation can maximise students’ laparoscopic skills learning, confidence and satisfaction when applied in a single day course.

Methodology

At a laparoscopic skills day, students went through skills simulation with increasing fidelity and complexity. We collected surveys prior to and after the skills day, including demographics, prior experience, and self-confidence scores for key laparoscopic tasks on a 1–10 scale, as well as operative skill data using Inovus augmented reality (AR) simulation software.

Results

Every area of the students’ self-confidence improved, with a mean improvement of 3.42 (P < 0.001). The more junior the student, the greater their increase in confidence (mean Pre-Foundation year (FY) +5.2). Notably, using Inovus AR software we found these skills days to provide an improvement on distance travelled of laparoscopic instrument tips when compared to cohort averages.

Conclusion

Mixed fidelity simulation is an effective way of rapidly progressing students’ skills over the course of a single day. Augmented reality is a way of bridging the gap between basic box-trainer tasks and more complex wet-lab simulation. Capturing operative skills data with software provides an opportunity to focus training to maximise progression.