Learning assessment at shoulder surgical skills course.
BACKGROUND
Surgical skills courses are an important part of learning during surgical training. The assessments at these courses tend to be subjective and anecdotal. Objective assessment using multiple choice questions (MCQs) quantifies the learning experience for both the organisers and the participants.


METHODS
Participants of the open shoulder surgical skills course conducted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2005 and 2006 underwent assessment using MCQs prior to and after the course.


RESULTS
The participants were grouped as non-consultants (14) and consultant orthopaedic surgeons (8). All participants improved after attending the course. The average improvement was 17% (range, 4-43%). We compared the two groups while adjusting for the association between pre-course score and score gain. We found a strong correlation between pre-course score and score gain (r = 0.734; P = 0.001). Adjusted for pre-course score, we found that the score gain (learning) for the non-consultants was slightly larger than for the consultants, but this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.247).


CONCLUSIONS
All participants had a positive learning experience which did not have a significant correlation to the grade of surgeon.
John
J
J
Hand and Upper Limb Unit, Robert Jones Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, UK. jobyjohnm@yahoo.com
Kuiper
J H
JH
Kelly
C P
CP
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D012782:Shoulder / Q000601:surgery*