Using performance in multiple simulated scenarios to assess bronchoscopy skills.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Simulation-Based Training
• Endoscopy

Background:

• Current flexible bronchoscopy training guidelines lack evidence.
• Objective assessment tools are needed for trainee feedback and competency determination.
• Existing assessment methods fail to distinguish between novice and expert bronchoscopists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate and assess the reliability of a novel assessment procedure for flexible bronchoscopy.
• To evaluate operator performance across tasks of increasing difficulty using a standardized scoring form.

Main Methods:

• A virtual reality bronchoscopy simulator was used for assessment.
• 42 participants (14 senior consultants, 14 trainees, 14 medical students) were tested.
• Inter-rater reliability was assessed using 3 blinded raters on 10 subjects.

Main Results:

• The assessment demonstrated high inter-rater reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.90).
• The procedure effectively distinguished performance levels among the three groups (p < 0.001).
• Assessing 6 procedures ensured a generalizability coefficient exceeding 0.80.

Conclusions:

• The new assessment procedure is both valid and reliable for flexible bronchoscopy training.
• This tool can provide objective feedback and aid in competency assessment.
• Simulation-based assessment offers a promising approach to surgical education.