{
  "id": 65247,
  "title": "Playing musical instrument helps medical students perform surgical tasks better: study",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/playing-musical-instrument-helps-medical-students-perform-surgical",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-03T01:30:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3362721/playing-musical-instrument-helps-medical-students-perform-surgical-tasks-better-study"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new study from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) suggests that medical students with musical instrument experience can perform surgical tasks 10 percent faster and more proficiently than their non-musical counterparts. The findings, which were based on a survey of 203 final-year medical students in 2024, showed that those with musical experience completed surgical tasks in an average of 223.5 seconds, compared to 249.3 seconds for those without musical backgrounds. This nearly 26-second difference in completion time was deemed statistically significant by the researchers.\n\nSien Gurr, a medical student at HKU who began learning the violin at the age of four and subsequently took up the guitar, echoed the study's results. She attributed her precision in surgical training to the finger placement, coordination, and stability skills honed through musical training. Gurr also noted that her musical experience, both in practice and performance, helped her manage stress, make good decisions, and perform at a high level during surgery.\n\nThe study evaluated the 203 students, 126 of whom played a musical instrument, on fundamental surgical techniques after four weeks of training. Students were assessed based on an objective scoring system, without prior knowledge of their musical backgrounds. Assistant Dean of Pedagogy and Assessment at HKU's medical school, Michael Co Tiong-hong, confirmed that the 10 percent difference in completion time was statistically significant. Furthermore, students with musical experience scored an average of 8.28 out of 10 on the surgical skills assessment, compared to 7.79 for non-musicians, representing a 6 percent improvement.\n\nCo explained that playing musical instruments and performing surgery share common skills such as hand-eye coordination, finger dexterity, and non-technical traits like stress tolerance, concentration, and patience. These skills developed through music practice can contribute to future surgeons' ability to learn surgical techniques. Interestingly, the researchers found that the depth of students' musical engagement, such as playing more than one instrument or achieving high grades in music examinations, did not show statistically significant differences in surgical performance. Co emphasized that previous studies on the impact of playing video games or musical instruments on surgical performance yielded mixed results, often focusing on fully trained surgeons. By conducting the study on medical students prior to any formal surgical exposure, the researchers were able to objectively demonstrate the positive correlation between musical instrument experience and surgical performance.",
  "summary": "Playing a musical instrument helps medical students perform surgical tasks 10 per cent faster and more skilfully, according to a new study by the University of Hong Kong (HKU). The results showed that students with musical experience completed surgical tasks in an average time of 223.5 seconds, compared with 249.3 seconds for those without, making them nearly 26 seconds faster. The experience of…",
  "key_points": [
    "Medical students with musical experience perform surgical tasks 10% faster.",
    "HKU study of 203 final-year medical students in 2024.",
    "Musical training improves hand-eye coordination and stress tolerance."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}