The Effect of NLP-Based Approach in Teaching Surgical Procedures to Senior OBGYN Residents

Introduction: Teaching surgery is the most challenging among all psychomotor skills. The out of operating room learning experiences are by simulations (including bench models, virtual reality trainers, computer generated models, surgical simulation in live animal models, and surgical simulation in human cadavers), web-based learning and mental imagery or mental practice. Mental imagery is the cognitive rehearsal of a task with or without physical movement. Despite evidence to support its usefulness, the exact role of mental imagery in surgical training has yet to be clearly defined, and there is no ideal way to use this technique. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of NLP- based teaching strategy on the knowledge and attitude of senior OBGYN residents.Materials and Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental research about the effect of NLP-based material on the knowledge and attitude of senior level OBGYN residents. Thirty-two residents were selected according to their scores on National Board Exam (written section). The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups. For the experimental group a binaural audio file of brain alpha-wave arousal (primer) followed by a traditional audio file on describing an unfamiliar oncology surgical procedure was played. For the control group the primer was a regular light music followed by traditional audio file based on reading and repeating the same operation. Then a knowledge test was administered for both groups. Using SPSS crosstab analysis, the groups were not significantly different in background knowledge of the surgery. The statistical t-test analysis revealed that the experimental group could perform better on the posttest. Yet, the difference was not statistically significant. The subjects in both groups had positive attitude to learning by listening. More residents (80%) in the control group suggested video or pictures to be provided with audio files than the experiment (70% ).Conclusion: Considering the expense of simulation-based curriculum for teaching surgery, instruction based on listening is an efficient teaching strategy. By adding Neuro Linguistic Programming principles into this instruction, instructors can introduce variety and enthusiasm to learners of surgery.