Training in basic laparoscopic skills has become a core component of modern medical education, driven by the increasing adoption of minimally invasive techniques in surgical disciplines such as general surgery, urology, and gynecology.1 Simulation-based training is critical for ensuring safe and efficient surgical care, particularly as time and resource constraints limit the feasibility of traditional apprenticeship models.2 Intracorporeal suturing, in particular, demands refined technical proficiency and a structured training environment that facilitates effective skill transfer to clinical practice. As traditional models like “see 1, do 1, teach 1” face growing scrutiny due to rising standards for patient safety and surgical efficiency, there is an urgent need for more systematic and reproducible teaching approaches. As pressure mounts to reduce costs and training time, optimizing the efficiency of simulation-based surgical education has become increasingly vital.

Among current pedagogical strategies, 2 methods have demonstrated significant benefits for technical skill acquisition: Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) and spaced learning. RCDP emphasizes brief, repetitive practice cycles with immediate feedback until competence is achieved.3 Spaced learning, on the other hand, distributes training sessions over time to enhance long-term retention and knowledge transfer. Benefits have been observed even months after training, and with growing evidence suggesting that spaced practice improves long-term retention of surgical skills compared to massed training formats.4,5

Both strategies have been independently validated in medical simulation settings and offer distinct theoretical and practical advantages. However, it remains unclear whether shorter intervals between sessions enhance technical skill acquisition when total training time is controlled. Few studies have directly compared these formats using rigorous methodology: some have found no significant differences between short and long intervals in performance or retention,6 while others have shown improved suturing quality and technique in spaced learning groups, despite comparable training durations.7 To date, no study has reported the combined implementation of RCDP and spaced learning in laparoscopic training, highlighting a gap and an opportunity to explore potential synergy between these 2 approaches. Moreover, while traditional deliberate practice has been implemented in a limited number of laparoscopic simulation studies8,9 the application of Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) specifically for laparoscopic skill acquisition has not yet been documented.

This pilot study aims to compare the technical performance of medical students undergoing laparoscopic simulation training using a traditional weekly group versus a program that combines Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) with spaced learning. We hypothesized that students undergoing simulation training using brief, spaced cycles incorporating RCDP and spaced repetition would achieve comparable or noninferior technical performance to those trained under a traditional weekly training schedule.