title: Interactive voice response to assess residents' laparoscopic skills: an instrument validation study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study was undertaken to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) instrument to assess laparoscopic surgical skills of residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical competence of obstetric-gynecologic residents at the University of Ottawa (Canada) was evaluated after observed performance of skills. Three questions addressing general domains of surgical skill were rated per surgery using a 5-point Likert scale: overall, 993 surgical ratings were made by 29 residents and 13 faculty preceptors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With use of a generalizability study, a minimum of 12 preceptor ratings (G=0.80) are needed to obtain reliable measures of residents' surgical skills. Item analysis indicated that the three items on the instrument were highly correlated (Cronbach alpha=.92). Elements of construct validity were evident for diagnostic and simple laparoscopic procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IVR instrument can be a valid and reliable measure of residents' surgical skills. The IVR ratings functioned as a global rating scale, capturing overall elements of surgical skills. The ratings on the IVR tool had construct validity with improved performance with increased surgical training and experience.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. kfung@ottawahospital.on.ca
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fung Kee Fung
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fung Kee Fung
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bordage
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norman
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education; D007256:Information Systems; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010535:Laparoscopy; D013513:Obstetric Surgical Procedures; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D014831:Voice