Aims
Appraisal and self-appraisal are important elements of continual professional development and competency. Surgery being a dynamic technical speciality an assessment of technical skills would be beneficial to this process. In this study we have assessed the reliability of self-appraisal of technical skills in three groups of trainees.
Methods
A routine laparoscopic operation was chosen, laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Two independent observers assessed each operation blindly using a validated specific technical skills assessment tool assessing the quality of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The trainee then assessed themselves after the operation. Three groups of trainees were evaluated, inexperienced, novice and intermediate.
Results
60 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were self-assessed by 30 trainees (10 in each group). As the data was parametric intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used for reliability. The ICCs between the two independent observers 1 and 2 was 0.97, p < 0.05.The ICCs between the trainee and observer 1 was 0.85, p < 0.05.The ICCs between the trainee and observer 2 was 0.86, p < 0.05.
Conclusions
In this study we have demonstrated that trainees of varying expertise and experience can reliably assess themselves using a structured assessment tool for technical skills. We aim to assess other procedures including open, laparoscopic and endoscopic. These preliminary results are promising as self-appraisal could be useful in training and continual assessments.
Session: Poster
Program Number: P164