Impact of Augmented Reality on Procedural Skills Acquisition in a Simulation-based Training Curriculum for Polypectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Simulation-based training (SBT) provides a safe and effective means to enhance skills development. Simulation-based curricula have been developed for a number of minimally invasive procedures, and more recently in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of comprehensive structured curricula and curricula based on progressive learning in endoscopic simulation. However, as digital technologies evolve, other educational strategies using the latest innovations may aid to further enhance procedural skills training during simulation. One such strategy may lie in augmented reality (AR).

The use of AR involves the superimposition of a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, which enhances the user's perception of reality. There has been a recent, growing interest for the integration of AR in medical education, such as in the visualization of anatomical structures, training for various medical procedures and telemedicine guidance for remote procedural training. The real time interactive nature of AR provides immersion, immediate learner support, and has the ability to lower the complexity of learning new tasks by showing the content of the tasks using different perspectives, which is beneficial for both engagement and the learning process.

To date, there are only a few studies which have investigated the application of AR for medical education and procedural learning specifically. Some of the benefits demonstrated by these studies include decreased amount of practice needed, reduced failure rate, improved performance accuracy, accelerated learning, shortened learning curve and better understanding of spatial relationships. However, the majority of studies on the application of AR have been on training for laparoscopy, neurosurgical procedures, and echocardiography. There are currently no studies showing the benefits of AR in endoscopy training.

Furthermore, several studies have shown the importance of self-assessment for suitable lifelong learning of new techniques in minimally invasive surgery and gastrointestinal endoscopy. A study by our group showed that experienced endoscopists had better self-assessment accuracy compared to novice endoscopists, therefore, a targeted intervention to help novice endoscopists is needed so that they may seek appropriate preceptorship during their training. One such targeted intervention to improve self-assessment accuracy may be AR, as it provides immediate and repeated visual support of the perfect approach to perform a specific task, therefore, allowing the trainee to reflect on their performance.

In order to bridge the gap related to AR in endoscopy training, the investigators aim to determine the impact of a simulation-based AR curriculum on areas such as knowledge acquisition, technical performance during simulated polypectomies, non-technical skills during integrated scenarios, and self-assessment accuracy. The investigators hypothesize that AR is an instructional strategy with the potential to offer a highly realistic and meaningful learning experience for novice endoscopists with transferable skills to clinical practice.