Skills Assessment Scores Research Articles

A Laparoscopic Surgical Skills Assessment Tool for Veterinarians

Our aim in this study was to validate a test of laparoscopic surgical performance by determining the relation of scores from an objective structured assessment of technical skills performed in a canine abdominal model to experience and basic laparoscopic skills. The number of years the participants had performed rigid video-endoscopic procedures (VEP), using triangulation skills, correlated positively with both evaluators' total surgical performance scores for all three evaluation methods: global rating scale, visual analog scale (VAS) rating of overall performance, and operative component rating scale (OCRS). Experience of VEP without triangulation skills (i.e., flexible endoscopy, otoscopy) or video game experience did not correlate with surgical performance. A highly validated basic laparoscopic skills assessment (McGill University inanimate system for training and evaluation of laparoscopic skills, or MISTELS) score was strongly correlated with the VAS score for surgical performance and OCRS scores. Inter-rater reliability was high for the VAS and OCRS evaluation methods, and scores from the detailed OCRS method did not differ between evaluators. In conclusion, the surgical performance test correlated with VEP triangulation experience and basic laparoscopic skills. This type of test needs to be evaluated in a larger sample population including higher numbers of veterinary laparoscopic surgeons for further validation.

User-based skill assessment techniques for operational hydrodynamic forecast systems

NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) applies hydrodynamic models for the development, transition and implementation of operational forecast systems in US estuaries, ports, lakes and the coastal ocean. These models and systems have applications in the support of safe and efficient marine navigation and emergency response, as well as marine geospatial and ecological applications. As part of the forecast system development, skill assessment is required to evaluate each model system. A forecast model has to be ensured that it has been developed and implemented in a scientifically sound and operationally robust way, and its performance should meet or exceed target benchmarks before its products are approved for release to the public.This paper discusses a new approach for the development of standards and procedures for skill assessment of operational forecast systems, which are designed primarily to support marine transportation and emergency response. Accordingly, this skill assessment focuses on variables, statistics and targets that are of the most use to these communities. The components of skill assessment include: data analysis techniques, definition of model run scenarios and statistical variables, and NOS target values and acceptance criteria. In addition, a large suite of skill assessment software has been developed to compute the new skill assessment scores using data files containing modelled variables and observed data. This software ingests model forecasts and observational data, fills in gaps, creates time series, extracts skill-specific parameters, and computes the skill scores. The software has been tested and applied to all NOS operational forecast systems.

Measuring Medical Student Preference: A Comparison of Classroom Versus Online Instruction for Teaching Pubmed

The research analyzed evaluation data to assess medical student satisfaction with the learning experience when required PubMed training is offered entirely online. A retrospective study analyzed skills assessment scores and student feedback forms from 455 first-year medical students who completed PubMed training either through classroom sessions or an online tutorial. The class of 2006 (n = 99) attended traditional librarian-led sessions in a computer classroom. The classes of 2007 (n = 120), 2008 (n = 121), and 2009 (n = 115) completed the training entirely online through a self-paced tutorial. PubMed skills assessment scores and student feedback about the training were compared for all groups. As evidenced by open-ended comments about the training, students who took the online tutorial were equally or more satisfied with the learning experience than students who attended classroom sessions, with the classes of 2008 and 2009 reporting greater satisfaction (P<0.001) than the other 2 groups. The mean score on the PubMed skills assessment (91%) was the same for all groups of students. Student satisfaction improved and PubMed assessment scores did not change when instruction was offered online to first-year medical students. Comments from the students who received online training suggest that the increased control and individual engagement with the web-based content led to their satisfaction with the online tutorial.

A Training Program for Certified Asthma Educators: Assessing Performance

Background. Evidence-based asthma guidelines identify asthma education as an essential element of care. In Canada, a process for certifying asthma educators was established to help provide asthma education to patients. A critical component to certifying asthma educators is their training and evaluation. The purpose of the study was to identify an approach to evaluate participants and to determine if specific characteristics influenced participants' success. Methods. Participants completed a questionnaire that collected demographic, practice, and learner characteristics. Assessment strategies and criteria used to determine the level of success included 1) a written asthma knowledge score; 2) a written educational theory score, and 3) a practice teaching skill score based on three encounters with standardized patients. Standardized patient encounters were scored by using a standard checklist of essential teaching functions. Results. Participants (n = 73) represented a broad range of health professions (respiratory therapists, nurses, pharmacists, and physiotherapists). The average score for written asthma knowledge, educational theory, and practice skill assessment was 82.0 ± 8.0%, 68.6 ± 16.2%, and 80.3 ± 9.7%, respectively. Moderate interrelationships were observed between the practice teaching skills score and years of practice in asthma (r = 0.35; p< 0.01) and percentage of workdays dedicated to asthma care (r = 0.30; p< 0.05). Moderately strong relationships were observed among the three standardized patient encounters. However, there were no associations between participant scores on the written asthma or educational theory examination and the practice skill assessment scores. Conclusions. Participants of an asthma educator training program represent a wide range of disciplines, practice settings, and experience. It is important that asthma educator training programs assess both written knowledge and practice assessments to evaluate participants.

The Educational Attainment of Children in Care in British Columbia

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in academic performance between children in care (referred to in British Columbia as children in continuing custody (CCC) and the general population of students in Grades 4, 7, and 10 in the areas of writing, reading, and numeracy. Data for the study consisted of merging information on children in continuing custody with the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) scores on all students in the public school system in British Columbia. Academic performance among CCC was found to be significantly lower than in the general population of students. This finding occurs across all grades studied and across all subject categories. Implications of the findings are discussed and a comprehensive strategic model is presented.

The Correlation between the Scores of Written Examination, the Clinical Clerkship Examination, the Clinical Skill Assessment, and the Graduation Examination of the Medical Students.

The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between medical student scores on 4 examinations: the written examination, clinical clerkship examination, clinical skill assessment, and graduation examination. Scores for 51 students who entered Daegu Catholic Medical School in 2005 on the written examination, clinical clerkship examination, clinical skill assessment, and graduation examination were included. Correlations between the scores were analyzed statistically. The scores on the written examination showed a strong correlation with those of the clinical clerkship assessment (0.833) and graduation examination (0.821). The clinical clerkship assessment scores correlated significantly with graduation examination scores (0.907). In addition, clinical skill assessment scores correlated with the written examination (0.579), clinical clerkship examination (0.570), and graduation examination (0.465) scores. Overall, the correlation between the scores on the clinical clerkship examination and the written examination was more significant than the correlation between scores on the clinical clerkship examination and clinical skill assessment. Therefore, we need to improve the evaluation method for the clinical clerkship examination and clinical skill assessment.