AI-guided feedback outperforms human instructors in neurosurgical training study

Neurosurgery is perhaps one of the most demanding professions in the healthcare industry. Surgeons spend long hours performing operations where expert performance makes the difference between a good and poor patient outcome. Although surgical injuries are rare, when they do occur, they can have serious and lifelong consequences.

Researchers at The Neuro’s (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) Centre for Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning are working to improve brain surgery training by developing real-time, AI-powered intelligent tutors.

These systems are designed to mimic the role of human surgery instructors in brain surgery training. Intelligent tutors help the learner acquire excellent operational skills by continuously assessing hand movements during simulated brain procedures and providing personalized verbal feedback.

The study, titled “Real-Time Multifaceted Artificial Intelligence vs. In-Person Instruction in Teaching Surgical Technical Skills: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” was published in Scientific reports on nature July 2, 2024.

Training the next generation of neurosurgeons is a long, expensive, and complex process. AI and simulation have the potential to facilitate the learning process while maintaining or improving the quality of skills of graduating neurosurgeons.

Their most recent study is the first randomized controlled trial comparing teaching by an AI tutor to teaching by a human expert during a simulated surgical procedure. They divided 97 medical trainees into three groups, receiving either real-time feedback from the AI, in-person teaching by an expert, or no real-time feedback.

Trainees who received AI training performed significantly better than those who received expert training and no real-time training. The study found that expert training alone resulted in poorer surgical learning outcomes. By leveraging their extensive expertise and the new opportunities offered by AI, surgical educators can provide new opportunities for learners to reach their potential as excellent surgeons.

“This study suggests that the future of OR education may involve human educators using AI capabilities to further enhance learners’ acquisition of surgical skills,” said Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, director of the Center for Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning.