Several studies demonstrated that simulator-acquired skill transfer to the operating room is incomplete. Our objective was to identify trainee characteristics that predict the transfer of simulator-acquired skill to the operating room.

Trainees completed baseline assessments including intracorporeal suturing (IS) performance, attentional selectivity, self-reported use of mental skills, and self-reported prior clinical and simulated laparoscopic experience and confidence. Residents then followed proficiency-based laparoscopic skills training, and their skill transfer was assessed on a live-anesthetized porcine model. Predictive characteristics for transfer test performance were assessed using multiple linear regression.

Thirty-eight residents completed the study. Automaticity, attentional selectivity, resident perceived ability with laparoscopy and simulators, and post-training IS performance were predictive of IS performance during the transfer test.

Promoting automaticity, self-efficacy, and attention selectivity may help improve the transfer of simulator-acquired skill. Mental skills training and training to automaticity may therefore be valuable interventions to achieve this goal.