SynthesisUpdates in surgery2021
The innate aptitude's effect on the surgical task performance: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Updates in surgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- The need for adaptive laparoscopic training, depending on conventional and robotic procedures. Evidence from an experimental profiling study.Surgical endoscopy · 2026Article
- Quality over quantity: early performance predicts suturing proficiency in robotic surgery simulation.Journal of robotic surgery · 2026Observational
- The impact of external stimuli on the acquisition of robotic surgery skills: the Im-AcRoSS study.Updates in surgery · 2026Article
- Impact of musical instrument practice on baseline psychomotor and technical skills in novice dental students: a prospective controlled study.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Innate Versus Acquired: A Review of Predictive Technical Aptitude Assessments in Surgical Trainee Selection.Current urology reports · 2025Review
- Randomized Controlled Trial: Acquisition of Basic Microsurgical Skills Through Smartphone Training Model.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2024Article
- RoboticHeliyon · 2024Article
- Baseline performance in a robotic virtual reality platform predicts rate of skill acquisition in a proficiency-based curriculum: a cohort study of surgical trainees.Surgical endoscopy · 2023Article
- Visuospatial ability is associated to 2D laparoscopic simulator performance amongst surgical residents.Surgery open science · 2023Article
- Using Real-time Feedback To Improve Surgical Performance on a Robotic Tissue Dissection Task.European urology open science · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Surgery is known to be a craft profession requiring individuals with specific innate aptitude for manipulative skills, and visuospatial and psychomotor abilities. The present-day selection process of surgical trainees does not include aptitude testing for the psychomotor and manual manipulative skills of candidates for required abilities. We aimed to scrutinize the significance of innate aptitudes in surgical practice and impact of training on skills by systematically reviewing their significance on the surgical task performance. A systematic review was performed in compliance with PRISMA guidelines. An initial search was carried out on PubMed/Medline for English language articles published over 20 years from January 2001 to January 2021. Search strategy and terms to be used included 'aptitude for surgery', 'innate aptitude and surgical skills, 'manipulative abilities and surgery', and 'psychomotor skills and surgery'. MERSQI score was applied to assess the quality of quantitatively researched citations. The results of the present searches provided a total of 1142 studies. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria out of which six citations reached high quality and rejected our three null hypothesis. Consequently, the result specified that all medical students cannot reach proficiency in skills necessary for pursuing a career in surgery; moreover, playing video games and/or musical instruments does not promote skills for surgery, and finally, there may be a valid test with predictive value for novices aspiring for a surgical career. MERSQI mean score was 11.07 (SD = 0.98; range 9.25-12.75). The significant findings indicated that medical students with low innate aptitude cannot reach skills necessary for a competent career in surgery. Training does not compensate for pictorial-skill deficiency, and a skill is needed in laparoscopy. Video-gaming and musical instrument playing did not significantly promote aptitude for microsurgery. The space-relation test has predictive value for a good laparoscopic surgical virtual-reality performance. The selection process for candidates suitable for a career in surgery requests performance in a simulated surgical environment.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.