Study design and participants
Volunteer medical students who were novices to robotic surgery were recruited to participate in this study. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Institutional Review Board determined this study to be exempt (IRB22-36266). All participants completed a pre-study survey on general demographics and factors that may affect their performance on the robotic simulator exercises, including video game experience [After completion of this baseline SimNow session, participants were randomly assigned to either receive a robotic home simulation kit with instructions for practice or to receive no home simulation kit. Participants in the experimental group received their home simulation kit immediately following the baseline SimNow session and were instructed to practice with the hand controllers using the peg transfer board and suture supplies for 15 min each day for 2 weeks. Studies have shown that learning a task can be done more effectively when practice sessions are shorter and more frequent [Furthermore, these students received instructional video supplements that outlined proper technique for the peg transfer and needle driving exercises to facilitate correct practice with the home simulation kits. Students in the experimental group were also provided a daily log to detail the specific activities and the time they spent practicing. Two weeks after the baseline SimNow session, all participants returned for another session using the SimNow program on dVSS to repeat the Sea Spikes 1 and Big Dipper Needle Driving tasks (Fig. Flowchart of study design