Establishing Benchmarks For Minimum Competence With Dry Lab Robotic Surgery Drills

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Simulation
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• The Robotic Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (R-OSATS) is a validated tool for evaluating robotic surgery proficiency.
• Assessing technical skills in robotic surgery is crucial for patient safety and effective training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish minimum competence threshold scores for 5 standardized inanimate robotic surgery drills using the R-OSATS tool.
• To define objective benchmarks for trainee proficiency in robotic surgery simulation.

Main Methods:

• A standard-setting study was conducted across 8 academic medical centers.
• Two methods were employed: the modified Angoff method with content experts and the contrasting groups method comparing trainees and experienced surgeons.
• Iterative scoring and group discussions were used to derive consensus on minimum competence scores.

Main Results:

• The modified Angoff method yielded high agreement (rWG range, 0.92-0.98) among experts for minimum competence scores per drill.
• The contrasting groups method confirmed these findings, establishing a minimum competence score of 14 per drill.
• Unanimous consensus was reached that competence must be demonstrated on each individual drill.

Conclusions:

• Minimum competence benchmarks for 5 dry lab robotic surgery drills were successfully established using two distinct standard-setting techniques.
• These benchmarks provide objective measures for evaluating trainee readiness in robotic surgery.
• The R-OSATS tool, with these defined cutoffs, can enhance the standardization and reliability of robotic surgical skills assessment.