title: Psychomotor function and learning clinical skills: a critical appraisal.
abstract: The practice of clinical medicine involves performing a large number of practical procedures so that psychomotor function is of considerable importance, particularly to trainees mastering new skills. Performance of motor skills by trainees is usually assessed by faculty in a random, unorganised, subjective manner without clearly stated criteria of satisfactory performance. This review discusses objective assessment of motor skills utilising psychometric principles in anaesthesia and surgery. In addition, the role of simulators will be discussed within the context of learning new motor skills.
authors.affiliation: Royal Navy Department of Anaesthesia, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, PL6 8DH.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dashfield
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D011597:Psychomotor Performance