Interview Scores Correlate with Fellow Microsurgical Skill and Performance

Area of Science:

• Microsurgery Fellowship Training
• Surgical Education
• Surgical Skill Assessment

Background:

• The interview process for surgical trainees aims to identify individuals with the highest potential for success in training and as future surgeons.
• Optimizing the selection process for a Microsurgery fellowship is crucial for identifying top candidates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between interview criteria, technical skills, and performance in microsurgery fellows.
• To optimize the selection process for a Microsurgery fellowship.

Main Methods:

• Prospective evaluation of 20 microsurgery fellows over three years.
• Standardized domain scoring at interview and validated assessment of microsurgical technical skill (laboratory and OR) at fellowship start and end.
• Final performance evaluation at the end of the fellowship.

Main Results:

• Microsurgical skill at the start of the fellowship correlated significantly with interview domains, particularly prior plastic surgery experience.
• All trainees improved microsurgical skill, with the most substantial gains in improvement seen in lower-ranked trainees.
• Highest-ranked trainees demonstrated the greatest improvement in speed.

Conclusions:

• The study validates the current interview process for selecting high-performing and skilled microsurgery candidates.
• A 1-year microsurgical fellowship effectively improves microsurgical skills in all trainees, regardless of initial ability.
• Prior training and experience are important factors to consider during the selection process.