In recent years, the intersection of gaming technology and medical education has sparked significant interest among researchers and practitioners. Gamification harnesses video games' engaging elements to enhance learning experiences in various fields, including the intricate realm of surgery. 

An observational research study published in PubMed¹ highlights the potential of gamification as a valuable education method for surgical procedures. The study evaluated the performances of 30 volunteers and identified correlations between video game performance and knee arthroscopy simulator performances. They posited that “experienced 3-D gamers are better arthroscopists than non-experienced 3-D gamers” and that “the strongest correlations were found within the task of catching (hooking) 6 foreign bodies (or triangulation), the dribbling performance in a sports game or a first-person shooter game; as well as the meniscus resection and a tile-matching puzzle game.”

These findings mark an exciting opportunity for medical device providers and innovators to empower surgeons to master new techniques and procedures through gamification. Surgeons can cultivate technical skills using learning simulations with game-like elements and overcome learning curve barriers associated with new procedure types in a dynamic and immersive learning environment. Gamified learning simulations offered on tablet devices also offer a cost-effective alternative to VR, creating hands-on practice opportunities without the need for expensive technology. As the medical community continues to explore new avenues for enhancing surgical education, gamification stands out as a promising frontier in transforming how future surgeons are trained and prepared.

UEGroup strives to help our clients innovate and stay ahead in their industry. Our recent partnership with our friends at Arthrex is the latest example, where we created 3 custom-designed and coded immersive learning experiences to drive untraditional brand marketing experiences at medical trade shows and help educate on endoscopic procedures. What started with ethnographic research at conferences to understand surgeons' emotional motivators, led to clear insights around how to gain and keep surgeon attention on the trade show floor.

Our research found that surgeons are driven by 4 emotional motivators at conferences: exclusivity, community, competition, and reassurance. To garner buzz and deliver a new experience for attendees who are used to seeing the same things every year, interactive learning simulations emerged as a natural way to tap into the values of learning, domain mastery, and a healthy dose of competition.

We were able to help the Arthrex team create educational games that, as the study suggests, would help surgeons learn new procedures, enhance craft, and align with the core emotional motivators inherent to surgeons. The UEGroup team custom-designed and coded 3 learning simulations for Medial Branch Transection, Interlaminar Discectomy, and Transforaminal Discectomy, and is actively developing more procedure simulations. 

Be sure to check out the full case study here to get an in-depth look into our process and research. 

1. Jentzsch T, Rahm S, Seifert B, Farei-Campagna J, Werner CM, Bouaicha S. Correlation Between Arthroscopy Simulator and Video Game Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study of 30 Volunteers Comparing 2- and 3-Dimensional Video Games. Arthroscopy. 2016 Jul;32(7):1328-34. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2015.12.047. Epub 2016 Mar 19. PMID: 27006104.