A method of objectively evaluating improvements in laparoscopic skills.

BACKGROUND

In this paper, we explored a quick and inexpensive method to evaluate the improvement in laparoscopic skills gained by residents after attending a formal training course in laparoscopy.

METHODS

Surgical residents attending an endoscopic workshop were randomly selected to perform tasks in a training simulator. Each was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively before and after the workshop. A control group of six residents who did not attend the workshop were selected to perform the same tasks twice in succession.

RESULTS

The total mean time improvement for all tasks in the study group was 34.3% and in the control group 7.3% (p = 0.0001). When the data was separated for each task, statistically significant improvement was demonstrated in five of the six tasks.

CONCLUSIONS

Residents who attend a formal workshop in endoscopy can gain significant improvement in skills. The methods described in this study can be used to quantitatively measure this improvement throughout a resident's training.