Surgical Trainee Experience with Open Cholecystectomy and the Dunning-Kruger Effect

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the standard approach to gallbladder surgery, but open cholecystectomy retains a role in complex cases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate exposure of senior trainees in general surgery to open cholecystectomy and their experience and confidence in independent performance.

General surgical trainees on a higher surgical training programme from surgical training years 5 (ST 5) to 8 (ST8) were invited to partake in an online anonymous survey. Data pertaining to case numbers, whether supervised or independently performed and level of comfort were collated and analyzed.

Twenty-six of 40 trainees responded (65%). Twenty-one (81%) had performed over 40 laparoscopic cholecystectomies with their trainer either scrubbed or un-scrubbed in theatre. As to open cholecystectomy experience, 12 trainees had assisted in 5 or fewer cases and only 3 assisted in over 20; 17 (65%) had performed 2 or fewer cases whilst assisted by their trainer while 24 of 26 trainees (92%) had no independent experience of open cholecystectomy. However, 16 felt they would be "somewhat comfortable" and 2 reported feeling "very comfortable" while only 8 reported they were "not comfortable" converting to open cholecystectomy.

This study confirms a steep decline in training opportunities in open cholecystectomy, but also raises concern about a Dunning-Kruger effect as, despite this lack of experience, the majority felt "somewhat comfortable" or "very comfortable" in converting to open surgery. Trainees need first to be familiar with safer alternatives to conversion. Surgical trainers need to consider the assessment of confidence as well as competence as an endpoint of trainee evaluation.