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Low-fidelity exercises for basic surgical skills training and assessment
Niyant V Patel1, James M Robbins, Charles J Shanley
1Department of Surgery, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, USA. nvpatel@beaumont.edu
American Journal of Surgery
|December 23, 2008
Summary
This study developed and validated cost-effective, low-fidelity surgical skills exercises. The exercises demonstrated reliability and validity for assessing surgical trainees, proving useful for basic surgical skills training.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Simulation-based Learning
Background:
- Basic surgical skills training and assessment are crucial for medical education.
- Developing effective and accessible training tools is an ongoing challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate low-fidelity exercises for basic surgical skills training.
- To assess the cost-effectiveness and psychometric properties of these exercises.
Main Methods:
- Five low-fidelity exercises were created and administered to 40 participants (novice and proficient).
- Objective metrics were used for scoring, and construct validity was assessed.
- Cost analysis determined the exercises to be cost-effective at $150 initial setup and $5 per participant for materials.
Main Results:
- Proficient participants significantly outperformed novice participants in needle-driving, 2-hand coordination, and knot-tying exercises (P <.05).
- Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .78 indicated good internal consistency and reliability.
- The exercises were found to be cost-effective for widespread use.
Conclusions:
- The developed low-fidelity exercises show preliminary evidence of construct validity and internal consistency.
- These exercises offer a reliable, valid, and cost-effective method for basic surgical skills training and assessment.
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