Assessment of technical skills transfer from the bench training model to the human model

Background: This study examines whether technical skills learned on a bench model are transferable to the human cadaver model. Methods: Twenty-three first-year residents were randomly assigned to three groups receiving teaching on six procedures. For each procedure, one group received training on a cadaver model, one received training on a bench model, and one learned independently from a prepared text. Following training, all residents were assessed on their ability to perform the six procedures. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of training modality for both checklist scores (F2,44 = 3.49, P <0.05) and global scores (F2,44 = 7.48, P <0.01). Post-hoc tests indicated that both bench and cadaver training were superior to text learning and that bench and cadaver training were equivalent. Conclusions: Training on a bench model transfers well to the human model, suggesting strong potential for transfer to the operating room.