The Right Way to Teach Left-Handed Residents: Strategies for Training by Right Handers

Abstract

Purpose: Left-handed (LH) residents remain underrepresented among surgical trainees, and there are few available data on how best to train them. The challenge is amplified when pairing a LH resident with a right-handed (RH) mentor. This report provides recommendations on how to improve the training of LH surgeons in a safe and effective manner.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was performed using different databases and search engines to identify all articles relevant to the training of LH residents.

Results: A total of 40 articles highlighted the challenges for LH surgical residents and RH mentors. Our recommendations are based on the following 4 themes: identifying inherent differences in left vs. RH residents, providing guidance to RH mentors training LH residents, adapting the RH environment to the LH surgeon, and maximizing safety during training.

Conclusion: An organized approach needs to be taken in training the LH resident. Changes should be instituted at program-wide and national levels to ensure that the training experience of the sinistral surgical resident is optimized.

Keywords: Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Systems-Based Practice; functional laterality; laparoscopy; motor skills; surgeons.