• James R Korndorffer, Cameron Schultz, Calvin Perumalla, Kenneth Perrone, and Carla Pugh.
• Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
• J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2025 Jan 14.

BackgroundMotion-tracking has been shown to correlate with expert and novice performance but has not been used for skill development. For skill development, performance goals must be defined. We hypothesize that using wearable sensor technology, motion tracking outcomes can be identified in those deemed practice-ready and used as benchmarks for precision learning.Study DesignAt the ACS Clinical Congress, surgeons and surgeons in-training volunteered to wear motion-tracking sensors while performing intracorporeal suturing and knot-tying, laparoscopic pattern-cutting and simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Coach raters evaluated the subjects using a modified SIMPL scale. Subjects were divided into two groups based on coach ratings, practice-ready and not practice-ready. Motion results were compared. Benchmark performance for each motion-tracking outcome of the simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy was set at the median(+/-MAD) of the practice-ready cohort. For all subjects, each motion-tracking outcome was compared to the benchmark.Results94 subjects were recruited. 53 were rated at practice-ready. Differences between groups were identified in 2 of 10 metrics for intracorporeal suturing and knot-tying, 4 of 10 metrics for pattern-cutting, and 5 of 10 metrics for the laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Set benchmarks for the metrics were compared to each subjects' score for all individual metrics. A not practice-ready individual was less likely to achieve the benchmarks.(χ2 = 55.48 p <.00001).ConclusionWearable sensor technology can identify differences between surgeons rated practice-ready and not practice-ready. More importantly, motion metric results can be used to develop benchmarks for training endpoints. This will allow for development of an individualized report card and training protocol focused on areas in need of improvement instead of the current model of generalized training. Implementing such focused training may expedite competency and mastery of surgical skills.Copyright © 2025 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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