Mutual checking system for assessing trainee skills of thoracic surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Medical Training
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Video-assisted surgery enhances surgical skill acquisition.
• Objective evaluation is crucial for efficient learning.
• The Dunning-Kruger effect can impede skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of mutual evaluation on surgical trainees.
• To investigate the use of common evaluation criteria in surgery.
• To determine if mutual evaluation improves objective self-assessment.

Main Methods:

• Developed a checklist for standard pulmonary lobectomy.
• Divided the procedure into six key parts with checkpoints.
• Trainees and trainers used common criteria for mutual evaluation.

Main Results:

• 30 pulmonary lobectomies were evaluated between September 2019 and March 2020.
• Trainees' self-evaluations initially decreased then increased.
• Trainers' evaluations did not show a similar trend.

Conclusions:

• Mutual evaluation promotes objective self-reflection in trainees.
• Common criteria facilitate effective feedback and skill improvement.
• This method aids in overcoming cognitive biases like the Dunning-Kruger effect.