Are residents accurate in their assessments of their own surgical skills?

BACKGROUND

An appropriate level of awareness of one's own technical skill is essential to being an effective self-directed learner. The aim of this study was to analyze surgical residents' self-awareness by examining their ability to predict and assess their own performance in an objective surgical skills examination.

METHODS

Surgical residents' (n = 216) pre-examination self-predicted scores and post-examination self-assessed scores were compared with objectively measured scores. Accuracy of score prediction and self-assessment were compared with resident demographics (age, gender, year of training, and nationality).

RESULTS

Post-examination self-assessed scores correlated with objectively assessed scores (r = .34; P < .001). Higher year of training, older age, and non-European nationality were predictive of accuracy in self-prediction and self-assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

Demographic variables that predict more accurate self-awareness of technical skill have been identified. Surgical training programs may use these data to anticipate the trainees who need assistance in developing better self-awareness.