A Joint Curriculum for Surgical Skills Performance and Resident-as-Teacher Training

Abstract

PROBLEM: The simulation experience for residents at our institution does not include longitudinal teaching and assessment of surgical skills. Residents frequently teach during surgical procedures, but do not receive training nor feedback on these teaching skills. INTERVENTION: Develop simulation curriculum to improve surgical skills and surgical teaching skills through structured practice, feedback and assessment of all residents, with an emphasis of senior residents as surgical teachers. CONTEXT: Needs assessment of faculty and current/graduated residents, was performed to assess perceived surgical abilities of residents, define basic surgical skills, and define relevant teaching skills needed in the operating room. The results were used to define didactic content and to create a supplemental gynecologic surgical skills video. The curriculum backbone included General Surgery videos on surgical skills. Among residents who completed pre and post surveys, 52.1% noted an improvement (≥1 level of confidence) in ≥50% of surgical skills surveyed; 17.4% noted an improvement in all surgical skills surveyed. Nine PGY 3-4 residents completed pre and post surveys pertaining to teaching skills; five (55.6%) noted improvement in all teaching skills surveyed. Six of nine (66.7%) noted improvement in at least one teaching skill. OUTCOME/LESSONS LEARNED: Sessions resulted in improvements in self-perceived surgical and teaching skills. Challenges to implementation include faculty and resource availability. We plan to repeat the sessions later in the year, with PGY-2 and PGY-3 acting as teachers. A follow-up survey to query residents on their self-perceived surgical skills, and a survey to query faculty on perceived resident surgical technique will be completed.