Utilization of standardized patients to evaluate clinical and interpersonal skills of surgical residents.
BACKGROUND
This project was designed to determine the growth of interpersonal skills during the first year of a surgical residency.


METHODS
All categorical surgical residents were given a clinical skills examination of abdominal pain using standardized patients during their orientation (T1). The categorical residents were retested after 11 months (T2). The assessment tool was based on a 12-item modified version of the 5-point Likert Interpersonal Scale (IP) used on the National Board of Medical Examiners prototype Clinical Skills Examination and a 24-item, done-or-not-done, history-taking checklist. Residents' self-evaluation scores were compared to standardized patients' assessment scores. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, Wilcoxon signed rank test, Student t test, and Cronbach alpha.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight categorical residents were evaluated at T1 and T2. At T1, in the history-taking exercise, the scores of the standardized patients and residents correlated (Pearson = .541, P = .000). In the interpersonal skills exercise, the scores of the standardized patients and residents did not correlate (Pearson = -0.238, P = .150). At T2, there was a significant improvement in the residents' self-evaluation scores in both the history-taking exercise (t = -3.280, P = .002) and the interpersonal skills exercise (t = 2.506, P = 0.017). In the history-taking exercise, the standardized patients' assessment scores correlated with the residents' self-evaluation scores (Pearson = 0.561, P = .000). In the interpersonal skills exercise, the standardized patients' assessment scores did not correlate with the residents' self-evaluation scores (Pearson = 0.078, P = .646).


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical residents demonstrate a consistently low level of self-awareness regarding their interpersonal skills. Observed improvement in resident self-evaluation may be a function of growth in self-confidence.
Hassett
James M
JM
Department of Surgery of State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA. JMHassett@kaleidahealth.org
Zinnerstrom
Karen
K
Nawotniak
Ruth H
RH
Schimpfhauser
Frank
F
Dayton
Merril T
MT
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000601:surgery; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012647:Self-Assessment