Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42192413›Full record

SynthesisBMC medical education2026

From operating room to leadership room: a systematic review of simulation-based interventions for leadership development in general surgery.

Nadia Gulnaz, Faiza Hashim Soomro, Izza Nazir, Mehwish Ansar, Rabia Arshad

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Nadia GulnazDepartment of General Surgery, Mid Yorkshire Teaching Trust, Aberford Rd, Wakefield, WF1 4DG, United Kingdom.
Faiza Hashim SoomroDepartment of General Surgery, Mid Yorkshire Teaching Trust, Aberford Rd, Wakefield, WF1 4DG, United Kingdom. faiza.hashim@gmail.com.
Izza NazirDepartment of Colorectal surgery, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Mehwish AnsarDepartment of General surgery, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom.
Rabia ArshadDepartment of General Surgery, Mid Yorkshire Teaching Trust, Aberford Rd, Wakefield, WF1 4DG, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate the effect of simulation-based leadership training on behavioral and safety-related outcomes in surgical and clinical environments. Leadership and non-technical skills (NTS) are critical for safe surgical practice. Simulation-based education can be helpful in the improvement of these skills. While simulation-based education is widely used to improve technical skills, its influence on leadership, teamwork, and patient safety outcomes is reported inconsistently.

methodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, studies evaluating leadership or NTS using simulation within surgical or perioperative contexts were included. Study characteristics, simulation format, assessment frameworks, leadership outcomes, and patient safety indicators were extracted. Risk of bias was evaluated using ROBINS-I and RoB-2, and visualised through the robvis platform.

resultsTwelve studies with 430 participants met inclusion criteria. Sample sizes ranged from 14-69; most involving multidisciplinary teams of 2-6 members. High-fidelity modalities were used in approximately 70% of studies, while others incorporated wet-lab, video-based, or in-situ simulations. Leadership performance improved, with reported gains of 2-4 points on behavioral scales. Communication and teamwork scores increased by approximately 2-3 points, and Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) domain means typically ranged from 2.8-3.5 on 4-point scales. Technical performance differences between senior and junior trainees averaged 30-40%. Checklist-supported teams missed only 6% of critical actions.

conclusionsSimulation-based training was consistently associated with improvements in leadership, communication, teamwork, and safety-related performance across surgical and multidisciplinary settings. Although results were positive, heterogeneity in design and measurement shows the need for further high-quality, standardised research.

Indexed as

General SurgeryLeadershipOperating RoomsSimulation TrainingClinical CompetenceHumansPatient Care TeamPatient SafetyCommunicationCrisis interventionEducational measurementLeadershipPatient safetySimulation training

Identifiers

PMID42192413
PMCPMC13393934

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.