Clinical trial NCT03176251: Applying Gamification to Postgraduate Endoscopic Training
Official title: Gamification of a Virtual-reality Simulation Curriculum in Endoscopy: Impact on Clinical Performance
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Endoscopy
Gamification
Simulation
Lead sponsor: Unity Health Toronto
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2017-06-05
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Randomized, two-arm, single-blinded
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: Simulation-based training curricula for gastrointestinal endoscopy have been developed and have been shown to be effective. It is possible that these curricula may be further improved. Gamification, the application of game-design principles to non-game contexts, has been shown to improve learning and skill performance in medical education. In gastrointestinal endoscopy, however, no dedicated curricula have been developed using gamification principles. We aim to evaluate the impact of applying gamification to a curriculum using SBT in endoscopy on clinical performance, compared to an identical curriculum without gamification. 36 novice endoscopists from the general surgery and gastroenterology programs at the University of Toronto will be recruited. Participants will be randomized into two groups: the Conventional Training Curriculum (CTC) Group, in which participants will receive 6 hours of training on a simulator augmented with expert feedback and interlaced with 4 hours of didactic training on the theory of colonoscopy; and the Gamified Integrated Curriculum (GIC) Group, in which participants will receive the same curriculum, using the following applications of gamified learning: a leaderboard of participant performances; badges for achievement of training landmarks; and rewards for top performance. Participants will be trained to perform colonoscopies progressively moving from a low to high complexity simulators, starting with the bench-top model (1 hour) and then moving to the EndoVR® virtual reality (VR) gastroenterology simulator (5 hours). Performance will be assessed at three points: prior to training (pre-test), immediately after training (acquisition post-test) and 4-6 weeks after training (retention test). Assessment will take place on the simulator at all three time points and during two live colonoscopies at the retention test. The primary outcome measure will be the difference in clinical colonoscopy performance between the two training groups, as assessed by the Joint Advisory Group for GI Endoscopy Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (JAG/DOPS). We aim to have data collection finished by 2018. Our results have the potential to improve existing curricula for training in colonoscopy. Moreover, the development of a gamified curriculum in procedural skills may have applicability to other specialities, such as general surgery and anesthesiology.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants must be novice endoscopists enrolled in general surgery, adult gastroenterology and pediatric gastroenterology programs at the University of Toronto

Exclusion Criteria:

* Participants will be excluded if they have performed 25 or more real or simulated endoscopic procedures

Primary outcomes:
measure: Performance on a clinical colonoscopy
timeFrame: 4-6 weeks post-intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Procedural Knowledge
timeFrame: Pre-intervention and immediate post-intervention
measure: Non-technical performance
timeFrame: 4-6 weeks post-intervention
measure: Patient comfort
timeFrame: 4-6 weeks post-intervention
measure: Participant self-efficacy
timeFrame: Pre-intervention, immediate post-intervention, and 4-6 weeks post-intervention
measure: Cognitive load
timeFrame: Pre-intervention, immediate post-intervention, and 4-6 weeks post-intervention
measure: Technical performance
timeFrame: Immediate post-intervention and 4-6 weeks post-intervention
measure: Participant competitiveness
timeFrame: Pre-intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Toronto
country: Canada
facility: St. Michael's Hospital
state: Ontario
Study officials:
References:
citation: Scaffidi MA, Khan R, Walsh CM, Pearl M, Winger K, Kalaichandran R, Lin P, Grover SC. Protocol for a randomised trial evaluating the effect of applying gamification to simulation-based endoscopy training. BMJ Open. 2019 Feb 24;9(2):e024134. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024134.