Comparison Between Surgical Trainee Self-Assessment With Supervisor Scores in Technical and Nontechnical Skills to...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Assessment Tools

Background:

• Surgical training requires robust assessment methods.
• Comparing trainee self-assessment with supervisor assessment is crucial for evaluating trainee performance.
• Existing assessment instruments may need refinement to accurately identify underperforming trainees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare trainee self-assessment with supervisor assessment in surgical training.
• To identify differences in demographic correlations between self and supervisor ratings.
• To evaluate the utility of a novel assessment instrument in identifying underperforming surgical trainees.

Main Methods:

• A novel 48-item instrument based on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 9 competencies and JDocs framework was developed.
• Multiple regression analysis was used to assess demographic variables (age, gender, postgraduate year, IMG status, training level).
• Pairwise comparisons analyzed the influence of variables on trainee and supervisor ratings.

Main Results:

• Postgraduate year showed the strongest correlation with both self and supervisor ratings across 7 competencies.
• International Medical Graduate (IMG) status had varying associations with self and supervisor ratings.
• Supervisor assessments successfully identified underperforming trainees, whereas self-assessments did not.

Conclusions:

• Supervisor assessment forms are effective tools for identifying underperforming surgical trainees.
• The findings support the use of these assessment forms in surgical training programs.
• Confidence in interpreting assessment data and providing trainee feedback is enhanced by these results.