Study finds regular gamers skilled at surgery sims

A recent study challenged surgeons and regularly gaming teenagers to complete robotic-surgery simulations, and found the gamers just as skilled as their professional rivals.

Slate reports the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston had both groups try out robotic surgery tasks like suturing.

The teenagers, tenth grade students who play two hours of games a day, easily matched the performance of obstetrics and gynaecology residents. The best of the steady-handed teens reported mainly playing shooters and sports game, although others were keen on strategy and racing.

As many observers have noted, robotic surgery simulations are basically a kind of video game, and so the teens in question haven't proved they're perfect for a life of wielding actual scalpels. No word on whether a group of non-gaming teens would have fared similarly.

Thanks, Kotaku.