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How Do Programs Measure Resident Performance? A Multi-Institutional Inventory of General Surgery Assessments
John Luckoski1, Danielle Jean2, Angela Thelen1
1Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Journal of Surgical Education
|October 1, 2021
Summary
Surgical residency programs utilize numerous unique assessment tools, with most lacking standardization and reliability. Developing standardized assessments is crucial for consistent evaluation of surgical resident competence.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Competency-Based Education
Background:
- Current assessment tools in surgical residency programs lack standardization.
- There is a need to evaluate the alignment of these tools with established competency frameworks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To inventory assessment tools used in general surgery residency programs.
- To determine the alignment of these tools with the Milestone Competencies.
Main Methods:
- Inventory of assessment tools from 10 general surgery residency programs.
- Categorization of instruments based on assessment criteria and Milestone Competencies.
- Descriptive statistical analysis and interviews with program directors.
Main Results:
- Identified 42 unique assessment tools, with an average of 7.2 per program.
- Only 11.9% of tools were used across multiple programs; 66.7% were retrospective global assessments.
- Few instruments (9.5%) had reliability or validity evidence; significant variation in assessment volume was observed.
Conclusions:
- Surgical assessment relies heavily on non-standardized tools lacking reliability and validity.
- Variability in assessment hinders interpretation and comparison of competency standards.
- A standardized toolkit is needed for uniform evaluation and identification of training system improvements.
