China OLIMPICS: China Ophthalmic Learning and Improvement Initiative in Cataract Surgery Trial

Summary

This is a prospective, investigator-masked randomised controlled education-intervention trial of intense simulation-based surgical education plus conventional training versus a current six-week standard training course. The aim is to investigate whether the addition of simulation-based surgical education to standard training improves competence and surgical outcomes. All participants in the study will receive the educational intervention of the six-week Orbis-COS course. The intervention groups will receive this training and an additional element of learning and sustained deliberate practice using model eyes and simulation.

Conditions

• Cataract

Interventions

OTHER

Simulation-based surgical training

Those in the intervention group will be introduced to a variety of simulation-based surgical training techniques. Specifically, this will involve breaking down the SICS cataract surgery procedure into stages, and practicing each stage repeatedly using simulation. This sustained deliberate practice will be integrated into the six-week course, as an enhancement to the course, and not as a replacement of any part of the educational content. Within the last three weeks of the course, 'intervention' arm participants will be introduced to the artificial eyes, the Simulation-OSSCAR rubric, and be provided with ongoing feedback. All participants in both intervention and control arms will undertake the six-week Orbis-COS training course.

OTHER

Standard surgical training

Standard surgical training (without bespoke training scheme using simulation and model eye). All participants in both intervention and control arms will undertake the existing six-week Orbis-COS training course, which includes 2-4 weeks of didactic lectures, surgical observation, and wet lab training with a minimum of 50 pig eye wet lab simulations per trainee. After observed mastery of wet lab pig eyes, trainees then perform hands-on training in county level hospitals. The hands-on training pairs a surgeon from the training centre to mentor the trainee through a minimum of 30 assisted surgeries and 50 independent surgeries under supervision.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sun Yat-sen University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Nathan Congdon, MD, MPH · Zongshan Ophthalmic Center

• William Dean, FRCO MBChB · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

• Ningli Wang · Tongren Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

0 Years

Max Age

100 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-05-09

Primary Completion

2020-01-01

Completion

2020-02-01

Countries

• China

Study Locations