"Top Gun" surgical simulation...

Looks like younger surgeons with video game experience might have the advantage when it comes to learning laparoscopic surgery techniques:

"It is likely that video game skills are a better predictor of demonstrated laparoscopic skills and suturing than years of experience with laparoscopy because many laparoscopic procedures do not require the advanced skill sets as measured in the course," they said.

While the researchers acknowledged indiscriminant video game playing is not a panacea, they suggested that the visuospatial and other skills acquired through video games may help physicians through the "learning curve" for laparoscopic procedures and thus improve patient safety.

Seems fairly intuitive... Click here to read the MEDPAGE TODAY summary of the original Archives of Surgery article.