Current Educational Interventions for Improving Technical Skills of Urology Trainees in Endourological Procedures: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Objective: Endourology continues to grow with the introduction of new technologies into clinical practice. Simulators and training models have been developed to improve comfort and proficiency in endoscopic procedures. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the current educational interventions utilized to improve the performance of endourology trainees and to critically appraise the strengths and limitations of each. Methods: A search of the Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify literature focused on current educational interventions for improving technical skills of trainees in endourologic procedures. The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the abstracted articles. Results: Of the 2236 articles identified, 22 met the inclusion criteria. The types of educational interventions included: bench/wet lab models, virtual reality simulators, and instructional courses. Metrics used to quantify the impact of these interventions include global rating scales, Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) scores, and task-specific checklists. The setting of these evaluations comprises both virtual reality simulators and live surgery. Conclusions: In the surgical education literature, simulation-based training and assessment continues to play a prominent role in urologic training. The educational interventions highlighted in this review address various aspects of endourology, from stone management to transurethral resection. Additional work is needed to correlate technical performance in clinical and nonclinical settings with patient outcomes and develop a focused approach to nontechnical skill training.