Journal Review in Surgical Education: Operative Performance Assessment

5 years of General Surgery residency? Check. Case numbers? Check. Ready for independent practice? Hmmm.  

Join Drs. John D. Mellinger, Jeremy Lipman, Judith French, and Amy Han as we discuss the past, present and future of operative assessment.

Learning objectives:

In this episode, we discuss the current practices of operative assessment in surgical training and the opportunities for improvement. We delve into evidence-based framework for operative performance assessment outlined in “A Proposed Blueprint for Operative Performance Training, Assessment, and Certification.” We explore the distinction between high versus low frequency operations, standards setting, training of assessors, and the role of technology in improving reliability, generalizability, and frequency of operative assessments.    

References:

Bansal N, Simmons KD, Epstein AJ, Morris JB, Kelz RR. Using Patient Outcomes to Evaluate General Surgery Residency Program Performance. JAMA Surg. 2016;151(2):111–119. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2015.3637

Bell RH Jr, Biester TW, Tabuenca A, et al. Operative experience of residents in US general surgery programs: a gap between expectation and experience. Ann Surg. 2009;249(5):719-724. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e3181a38e59

Williams RG, Sanfey H, Chen XP, Dunnington GL. A controlled study to determine measurement conditions necessary for a reliable and valid operative performance assessment: a controlled prospective observational study. Ann Surg. 2012;256(1):177-187. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e31825b6de4

Williams RG, George BC, Bohnen JD, et al. A Proposed Blueprint for Operative Performance Training, Assessment, and Certification. Ann Surg. 2021;273(4):701-708. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000004467

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