Response to the article titled "The role of smartphone game applications in improving laparoscopic skills"

Abstract

Mehar Chawla Department of Medicine, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK Thank you for this article by Chalhoub et al,1 which gave a new insight into the use of smartphone gaming technologies to aid trainees develop their surgical skills. This study is somewhat contrary to current ideas where a stigma exists toward smartphone and videogame play with reported adverse effects on physical and mental health.2 It is, therefore, quite refreshing and perhaps revolutionary to read that smartphone gameplay can actually have a major impact and potentially be part of a surgical training curriculum to ensure that future surgeons attain the right set of skills. This is something that has been hinted at by a previous study which explored the link between smartphone gameplay and increase in cognitive and perceptual abilities.3 View the original paper by Chalhoub and colleagues. 

Keywords

• Smartphone gameplay
• surgical skills
• laparoscopic skills
• laparoscopy
• surgery