Effect of Mobile Video Games on Laparoscopic Simulation Skills in Medical Students

NCT07744399 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 09.2023.312
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluated whether regular mobile video game play could improve laparoscopic simulation performance among medical students without prior surgical or simulation experience. Thirty first-, second-, and third-year medical students were randomly assigned to either a mobile gaming intervention group or a control group. All participants received standardized training using the Simbionix LAP Mentor™ laparoscopic simulator and completed baseline assessments of hand-eye coordination, suture placement, and bimanual maneuver tasks. During the subsequent three-week intervention period, participants in the intervention group played selected mobile games (DATA WING™ and Aim Lab Mobile™) for at least 30 minutes daily, while the control group was instructed not to play mobile games. After the intervention, all participants repeated the same laparoscopic simulation tasks. The primary objective was to determine whether mobile gaming improved laparoscopic performance, as measured by task completion time and performance accuracy. The findings of this study may help clarify whether inexpensive and widely accessible mobile games can serve as an adjunct to simulation-based surgical education for novice medical students.

Conditions

Laparoscopic Skills Acquisition; Medical Students; Surgical Education and Skill Acquisition; Simulation Training, Laparoscopy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Hand-eye coordination task completion time

  Change in completion time for the hand-eye coordination module of the Simbionix LAP Mentor™ laparoscopic simulator from baseline to 3 weeks.

  Baseline and 3 weeks

• Suture placement task completion time

  Change in completion time for the suture placement module of the Simbionix LAP Mentor™ laparoscopic simulator from baseline to 3 weeks.

  Baseline and 3 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Laparoscopic simulation performance accuracy

  Baseline and 3 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Mobile Phone Gaming Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants were instructed to play the selected mobile video games (DATA WING™ and Aim Lab Mobile™) for at least 30 minutes daily over a 3-week period. Laparoscopic simulation performance was assessed before and after the intervention using the Simbionix LAP Mentor™ simulator.

Behavioral: Mobile Phone Gaming

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants did not receive the mobile gaming intervention during the 3-week study period and completed the same baseline and post-intervention laparoscopic simulation assessments as the intervention group.

Interventions

Mobile Phone Gaming BEHAVIORAL

Participants played DATA WING™ and Aim Lab Mobile™ on a mobile device for at least 30 minutes per day over 3 weeks. The intervention was designed to evaluate whether regular mobile gaming improves laparoscopic simulation performance in novice medical students.

Also known as: Mobile Phone Game Training

Mobile Phone Gaming Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Medical students enrolled in the first, second, or third year of medical school.
• No previous real surgical experience.
• No previous virtual or laparoscopic simulation training experience.
• Self-reported mobile game use of less than 3 hours per week before enrollment.
• Ability and willingness to provide informed consent.
• Voluntary participation in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Previous real surgical experience.
• Previous virtual or simulated surgical training.
• Mobile game use of 3 hours or more per week before enrollment.
• Failure or unwillingness to provide informed consent.
• Withdrawal of consent during the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Marmara University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Marmara University School of Medicine

Istanbul, Istanbul, 34854, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Officials

• M. Ümit Uğurlu, Professor of Surgery, M.D.

  Marmara University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: No masking was used. Participants and investigators were aware of group assignments because the intervention consisted of daily mobile video game use, which could not be concealed.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Surgery

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned to either a mobile gaming intervention group or a control group. Both groups completed baseline and post-intervention laparoscopic simulation assessments after a 3-week intervention period.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 25, 2026
• First Posted: August 4, 2026
• Study Start: January 26, 2023
• Primary Completion: May 8, 2023
• Study Completion: May 20, 2023
• Last Updated: August 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Locations

TU (1)