BACKGROUND: Teaching basic clinical skills to student peers and residents by medical students has previously been shown effective. This study examines if medical students can facilitate laparoscopic procedural tasks to residents using a virtual reality simulator.

METHODS: This was a retrospective study comparing 2 groups of gynecology residents. One group was instructed by 2 student facilitators, and a resident facilitator instructed the other group. Facilitators in both the groups were experienced in laparoscopic simulator training. The outcome measures were time and repetitions to complete a laparoscopic simulator training program.

RESULTS: A total of 51 residents participated: 15 in the student-facilitated group and 36 in the resident-facilitated group after 18 and 7 residents dropped out, respectively. The student-facilitated group averaged 230 minutes, while the resident-facilitated group averaged 200 minutes (p = 0.724). To complete the final examination module, the student-facilitated group required 19.5 repetitions vs 39.2 in the resident-facilitated group (p = 0.007).

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that students can be used as facilitators as an alternative to residents when practicing on a laparoscopic virtual reality simulator.