1846 Preparing for FLS: A Survey of Residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Abstract

Study Objective Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) is a validated curriculum that uses laparoscopic simulation to prepare surgeons for the operating room. The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology has made FLS certification an eligibility requirement to take the certifying board exam for residents graduating in 2020 and onwards. The objective of this study is to describe the resident experience and to quantify test preparation for the FLS exam. Design This is a prospective observational study at a large academic medical center. Setting This study took place at UT Southwestern Medical Center between September 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019. Patients or Participants Second year residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology were invited to participate in the study if they had completed their initial FLS certification exam. Of 18 second year residents, 15 met eligibility criteria and all agreed to participate. Interventions Participants completed a two-page questionnaire about their preparation for the exam, including questions about practice time and repetitions for the five skills tasks and time spent watching the FLS-provided videos. Measurements and Main Results 15 residents completed the survey. Participants spent an average of 3 sessions practicing for an average of 2-3 hours per task. 11/15 residents rated the ligating loop the easiest task to master and 8/15 residents rated the precision cut most difficult. Residents viewed the training modules an average of 1.7 times. All 15 residents who took the exam passed. Conclusion FLS certification will soon be a requirement of all graduating US residents in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Residents and training programs will benefit from an understanding of the time and resources required to successfully take this exam. Our data suggests that residents spent upwards of 10 hours practicing to proficiency on the simulation tasks, in addition to viewing the training videos.