Prioritize multicenter, randomized designs with standardized reporting and longitudinal follow-up in future surgical education research¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The review identifies key methodological gaps in the current evidence base and states that "Future research should prioritize multicenter, randomized designs, standardized reporting, and longitudinal follow-up to better define the long-term effectiveness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of simulation and multimodal training in endocrine surgery." This strategy directs researchers toward stronger study designs to address the limitations of small, single-center, non-randomized studies that dominate the current literature.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Multicenter collaboration
• Randomized study designs
• Standardized reporting instruments
• Longitudinal follow-up protocols

Constraints¶

• Current evidence base is limited by small samples, single-center designs, and heterogeneous outcome measures

Target Learners¶

• Surgical education researchers
• Training program directors

Target Learning Goals¶

• Evidence-based curriculum development
• Long-term skill retention assessment

Related Strategies¶

• Prioritize longitudinal studies tracking trainees from simulation to real-world surgical performance
• Prioritize multicenter, competency-oriented studies in Surgical Instrumentation students testing retention, transfer and objective assessment
• Research agenda: standardize reporting, run comparative efficacy studies, and track longitudinal transfer to clinical practice
• Future research should use standardized validated outcome measures, longitudinal follow-up designs, and methods linking learner gains to patient-relevant outcomes
• Future research should include long-term RCTs with adequate sample sizes, standardized outcome measures, and cost-effectiveness analyses
• Prioritize larger multi-center RCTs with standardized AR systems, uniform metrics, and long-term follow-up when evaluating AR surgical training
• Prioritize operational-setting protocols, longitudinal expertise tracking, team dynamics, and real-time monitoring as next steps for educational neuroimaging
• Evaluate mental practice with longitudinal mixed-method designs in real clinical teams, and embed MP in organisational routines such as pre-surgical briefings
• Adopt better methodologies and validated tools for identifying long-term EBP competency retention and for measuring attitude change

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Zhang Daqi, Brucchi Francesco, Barbieri Diego, Kim Hoon Yub, Colombo Carla, Donatini Gianluca, Miccoli Paolo, Che-Wei Wu, Dionigi Gianlorenzo, Wan Lanlan (2026). Simulation unlocked: transforming thyroid surgery training through high-fidelity and curriculum-based innovation—a systematic review. Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-026-04013-6