Learning from mistakes: could flawed practice make better surgeons?

NCT ID NCT06729372

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tested whether deliberately making errors during simulation-based training helps medical students learn better than avoiding errors. 70 medical students practiced placing a dynamic hip screw on a simulator. One group was instructed to make and learn from mistakes, the other to avoid them. Researchers then tested their skills on a retention test and a transfer test to see which training method led to better long-term learning and ability to adapt to a new task.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Deliberate Flawed Performance (behavioral training method)

What this could lead to

If this approach works, it could lead to more effective simulation-based training for surgeons, potentially reducing errors in real surgeries.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-stage educational study with 70 medical students, not a clinical trial for a treatment. Results may not apply to experienced surgeons or real-world settings.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

hip fracture

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation

    Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark