Identifying the Gap Between Novices and Experts in Fiberoptic Scope Control.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Airway Management

Background:

• Fiberoptic intubation (FOI) is critical for managing difficult airways.
• Effective scope control enhances efficiency and patient safety during FOI.
• Identifying skill gaps between novices and experts can inform teaching strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate a checklist for assessing fiberoptic scope control skills.
• To evaluate the differences in scope control between novice and expert anesthesiologists.
• To explore the utility of a video-based assessment for feedback-driven training.

Main Methods:

• A 7-item checklist was developed by senior anesthesiologists.
• Twelve novice residents and five expert anesthesiologists performed FOI on a manikin.
• Participants were video-recorded, and their performance was assessed using the checklist and time measurements.

Main Results:

• Experts achieved significantly higher checklist scores than novices (P = .0016).
• Novices demonstrated lower success rates in maintaining scope alignment.
• Novices required more time to complete FOI compared to experts (P = .0005).

Conclusions:

• The developed checklist reliably distinguishes between novice and expert fiberoptic scope control.
• Video-based assessment coupled with this checklist can facilitate targeted feedback for training.
• This approach supports the development of effective, feedback-based teaching methods for FOI.