Next time you choose a doctor, you may want to find out if he or she plays video games first. A study of 303 surgeons found that those who warmed up by playing video games made fewer errors than those who played no games.
The surgeons participated in a medical training course for laparoscopic surgical procedures, which involve a small video camera being inserted through small incisions. Specifically, they were measured on their ability in the "cobra rope" drill, which is used to close internal wounds.
It was found that surgeons who played video games immediately before the drill were finished 11 seconds faster than those who did not. A faster speed is an indication of fewer errors, as the more errors made, the longer the procedure takes.
Another study from 2003 found similar results: doctors who played video games while growing up were usually more efficient and had fewer errors during laparoscopic training drills. This suggested that video games may improve hand-eye coordination, reaction time and visual skills.
Researchers hope using video games for training might cut down on the 100,000 deaths that occur in the United States each year due to medical errors.
Sure makes you wonder if such training would cut down on the number of wrong-site surgeries performed in America too ...