Intraoperative Video Recording: Capturing Opportunities to Advance Health Professions Education Research

Intraoperative video recording (IVR) is a valuable data collection modality for health professions education (HPE) research, and certifying organizations are increasingly adopting video-based operative assessments. No guidelines exist for the collection and use of this data. This scoping review characterizes current use of IVR in HPE research, with a focus on strategic, ethical, and technological considerations, to provide recommendations for future use.

Two surgeons, 2 education specialists, a resident, and 1 medical student followed Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review approach. Assisted by a librarian, the team utilized a MeSH search strategy to identify abstracts for screening, covering articles between 1991 and 2025. Paired researchers screened abstracts for studies with IVR that took place in the operating room (OR), with learners present. The team then reviewed studies, extracting 29 data points with intermittent check-ins to prevent rater drift. Descriptive statistics summarized IVR use in HPE research.

A total of 7475 abstracts were screened, 291 full-text articles reviewed, 163 met inclusion criteria. Topics addressed included Surgical Performance (61.3%), Assessment (41.7%), and Teaching (33.1%). A total of 31.3% included an educational intervention. Studies included quantitative (94.5%) and qualitative (25.8%) analyses, of oral (21.5%) and/or nonverbal (10.4%) communication. Field of view was most frequently endoscopic (54.6%); 65.0% of studies included no audio. A total of 73.8% of studies reported Institutional/Ethics Review Board (IRB) status (Exempt 13.5%, Full Review 19.6%, "Approved" 39.9%). Consent was variably obtained from study participants and patients.

Researchers relied heavily on laparoscopic video which cannot capture body position, team interactions, teaching, or equipment use. We recommend precise reporting on how IVR data are collected, including information about recording devices and their placement in the OR, for study quality and reproducibility. Consent and IRB processes should be fully detailed. IVR can be better leveraged to study research questions about intraoperative teaching or communication, nonverbal cues essential for learning through thoughtful choices about theoretical guidance.