Education of the Principles and Tools of Laparoscopy: Introduction of the Laparoscopic Co-Surgeon Educational Application

Introduction: With the significant increase in the number and variety of minimally invasive surgical procedures and the growing complexity of tools, equipment, and techniques in laparoscopy, the need for innovative educational methods such as mobile-based learning (M-Learning) has become essential. This study introduced design and development the Laparoscopic Co-Surgeon application. Methods: The developmental study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, application designed after explaining the goals and educational content in the expert panel. In the design phase, game-based learning principles, puzzles, and conceptual maps were used. In the second phase, the production of electronic application was developed by experts and its validity was assessed by experts. Results: The Laparoscopic Co-Surgeon application was developed in six panels. This application was developed using gamification strategies, a puzzle panel with a matching method, a quiz panel, and panels for concept maps, instrument recognition, and surgeries based on conceptual maps, along with animated images and short videos. Conclusion: The current results confirm the validity of the Co- surgeon application program in teaching surgical technology students related to the identification of laparoscopic surgery tools and their uses. It is suggested to use the Co-Surgeon application as an educational tool in the clinical and specialized training of the disciplines involved in laparoscopic surgeries.