Week 14: Video Gaming Good for Surgery?

Abdominal walls, inguinal region, stomach, duodenum, celiac trunk, liver, bile passages, portal circulation, intestines, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, posterior abdominal wall, and diaphragm - these were the mere topics of this week's learning. If you really want to know the basics of what happened day to day, look at week 13 for a generic breakdown which really encapsulates the feel from a first person medical student perspective.

So how is video gaming good for surgery you ask? Well in an extracurricular activity this Friday, Dr. Dozios from general surgery came to the cadaver lab and demonstrated how to use laparoscopic tools to operate on a fresh (frozen, thawed, but otherwise not preserved thus retaining body fluids) cadaver. Anecdotal evidence suggest that video gamers are more articulate in their hand-eye coordination as well as their spatial perception, both components that are necessary when using laparoscopic tools and doing the surgery via a camera and monitor.

I finally got to cash in on my Super Mario Brothers investment as I picked up the tools and clamped and stapled with ease as I got a feel for laparoscopic surgery. It was a fun first exposure and one I'm glad my video gaming skills have helped develop.