Focused assessment of surgical performance: difficulty with faculty compliance

This study evaluated faculty compliance in the use of the global surgical rating scale of the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills to rate resident surgical performance after every endoscopic procedure.

For this prospective cohort study, 4 faculty members in the Minimally Invasive Gynecology Surgery Program were asked to rate resident surgical performance using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills instrument after every case. Faculty compliance was analyzed with respect to the influence of the resident or surgical case characteristics. Faculty and residents completed surveys about the value of the case-by-case ratings.

Faculty members used the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills instrument 36% of the time (range, 26%-60%). Faculty member compliance did not vary according to resident or surgical case characteristics. Faculty members did not think the forms had much impact on whether they gave feedback. Residents thought the opportunity to read their ratings was helpful.

Faculty member compliance with case-by-case surgical performance evaluation of the residents was low.