Gamer Uses Virtual Training to Save Lives

[Jon]

http://us.i1.yimg.com/videogames.yahoo.com/feature/gamer-uses-virtual-training-to-save-lives/1181064

Gamer uses virtual training to save lives

Player of America's Army used in-games techniques in a rescue situation.

By Ben Silverman



Think playing video games is little more than a great way to waste time? Then you haven't met Paxton Galvanek. Last November, the twenty-eight year-old helped rescue two victims from an overturned SUV on the shoulder of a North Carolina interstate. As the first one on the scene, Galvanek safely removed both individuals from the smoking vehicle and properly assessed and treated their wounds, which included bruises, scrapes, head trauma and the loss of two fingers.
His medical background? None - other than what he's learned playing as a medic in the computer game America's Army.

Rest of article:
http://us.i1.yimg.com/videogames.yahoo.com/feature/gamer-uses-virtual-training-to-save-lives/1181064

 

[JPINFV]

The Impact of Video Games on Training Surgeons in the 21st Century

James C. Rosser, Jr, MD; Paul J. Lynch, MD; Laurie Cuddihy, MD; Douglas A. Gentile, PhD; Jonathan Klonsky, MD; Ronald Merrell, MD

Arch Surg. 2007;142:181-186.

Background Video games have become extensively integrated into popular culture. Anecdotal observations of young surgeons suggest that video game play contributes to performance excellence in laparoscopic surgery. Training benefits for surgeons who play video games should be quantifiable.

Hypothesis There is a potential link between video game play and laparoscopic surgical skill and suturing.

Design Cross-sectional analysis of the performance of surgical residents and attending physicians participating in the Rosser Top Gun Laparoscopic Skills and Suturing Program (Top Gun). Three different video game exercises were performed, and surveys were completed to assess past experience with video games and current level of play, and each subject's level of surgical training, number of laparoscopic cases performed, and number of years in medical practice.

Setting Academic medical center and surgical training program.

Participants Thirty-three residents and attending physicians participating in Top Gun from May 10 to August 24, 2002.

Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome measures were compared between participants' laparoscopic skills and suturing capability, video game scores, and video game experience.

Results Past video game play in excess of 3 h/wk correlated with 37% fewer errors (P<.02) and 27% faster completion (P<.03). Overall Top Gun score (time and errors) was 33% better (P<.005) for video game players and 42% better (P<.01) if they played more than 3 h/wk. Current video game players made 32% fewer errors (P=.04), performed 24% faster (P<.04), and scored 26% better overall (time and errors) (P<.005) than their nonplaying colleagues. When comparing demonstrated video gaming skills, those in the top tertile made 47% fewer errors, performed 39% faster, and scored 41% better (P<.001 for all) on the overall Top Gun score. Regression analysis also indicated that video game skill and past video game experience are significant predictors of demonstrated laparoscopic skills.

Conclusions Video game skill correlates with laparoscopic surgical skills. Training curricula that include video games may help thin the technical interface between surgeons and screen-mediated applications, such as laparoscopic surgery. Video games may be a practical teaching tool to help train surgeons.



http://archsurg.highwire.org/cgi/content/abstract/142/2/181