Third-year medical students were randomized to a performance or learning-goal condition during a knot tying and suturing training program. Performance was assessed by blinded videotaped review. Demographics, goal orientation, and metacognition were captured with pre- and posttraining questionnaires.
A total of 90 students participated in the training program. Trainees in the learning goals group demonstrated better performance on knot tying (4.30 ± 0.78 vs 3.86 ± 0.95; p < 0.05) and suturing (4.10 ± 0.77 vs 3.54 ± 0.73; p < 0.001). Participants in the learning goals group reported higher task engagement during both knot tying (4.32 ± 0.66 vs 3.90 ± 0.52; p < 0.001) and suturing (4.48 ± 0.42 vs 4.01 ± 0.46; p < 0.001). Additionally, the learning goals group also reported higher metacognition during both knot tying (3.88 ± 0.75 vs 3.59 ± 0.52; p < 0.05) and suturing (3.96 ± 0.75 vs 3.68 ± 0.48; p < 0.05).
Our findings suggest that learning goals may be optimal for trainees learning new surgical tasks because they elicit increased task engagement and metacognition among trainees.