Transferability and Cost-effectiveness of PROSPECT in Surgical Trainees
Condition: Vascular Disease
MeSH terms: Vascular Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      To design, validate and prove cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive endovascular simulation
      curriculum consisting of cognitive and psychomotor skills training for endovascular
      management of symptomatic vascular disease in the lower limbs.
    

Detailed description: 
      The main goal is to design a comprehensive endovascular simulation curriculum consisting of
      cognitive and psychomotor skills training for endovascular management of symptomatic vascular
      disease in the lower limbs (Rutherford classification 2-5; stenosis or occlusion in the
      iliac, superficial femoral and popliteal arteries). The curriculum will consist of
      E-learning, video-based learning and simulation exercises on the Virtual Reality simulator on
      which an endovascular procedure will be simulated.

      Skills transferability to real life practice will be verified by means of a RCT. In this RCT
      the investigators will compare the cognitive knowledge and technical performance of
      curricular trained surgical trainees with conventionally trained trainees during treatment of
      patients under supervision. The hypothesis states that surgeons trained within the PROSPECT
      curriculum will show improved technical knowledge of endovascular treatment of
      atherosclerotic disease in the iliac, superficial femoral and popliteal arteries and will
      demonstrate increased technical proficiency in the angiosuite in comparison with surgeons who
      received only conventional training. Subjects will be surgical trainees (N=32). They will be
      randomized into a three groups: a control group (N=11), a group that only has access to
      E-learning (N=10) and a PROSPECT group (N=11). Both groups will continue their traditional
      clinical education and the PROSPECT group will additionally be trained within this
      endovascular curriculum. The investigators hope that this study may ultimately lead to an
      improvement in the quality of patient care by standardizing competencies of endovascular
      operators in training and practice.

      Additionally a cost-effectiveness analysis of PROSPECT compared to traditional training
      modalities will be executed. A successful training program is expected to lead to a
      shortening of the learning curve, reduction in number of errors during real life procedures
      and more efficient use of hybrid angio suites. The financial impact of potentially shorter
      duration of endovascular interventions will be studied and compared to time investment and
      additional costs associated with stepwise, supervised training using VR simulators.
    

Intervention name(s): additional curriculum (E-learning + simulation); additional E-learning
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Initially 39 participants were enrolled, 7 excluded because they declined to participate. 32 people were randomized.
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research