Redesign of a Resident Evaluation Tool Using Exploratory Factor Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Medical Training Evaluation
• Data Analysis in Education

Background:

• Resident training programs face challenges with timely faculty feedback and evaluation tool efficiency.
• Existing evaluation tools were perceived as time-consuming and redundant by faculty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve the timeliness and efficiency of resident evaluations.
• To develop a condensed evaluation tool through stakeholder input and statistical analysis.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative revision of the "Faculty Evaluation of Resident" tool by faculty and residents.
• Utilized Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on 5 years of evaluation data to identify correlated questions.
• Generated a condensed 12-question tool, validated using statistical tests (Spearman's rank order correlation, t-test, ANOVA).

Main Results:

• Exploratory Factor Analysis reduced the 30-question instrument to 12 questions, retaining 96% of performance variability.
• Key performance areas identified: Overall Performance, Communication, Operative Skill, and Systems Based Practice.
• The new tool led to more frequent written feedback (53.4% vs 40.8%) and improved survey response rates (35% to 76% at 2 months).

Conclusions:

• A 12-question resident evaluation tool, derived from faculty input and EFA, effectively captures resident performance.
• The revised instrument enhances faculty engagement through increased written feedback and improved response rates.
• The application of EFA in surgical education evaluation is a novel approach to optimize training assessments.