title: Face, content, and construct validation of the da Vinci Skills Simulator.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on assessments of face, content, and construct validity for the commercially available da Vinci Skills Simulator (dVSS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 38 subjects participated in this prospective study. Participants were classified as novice (0 robotic cases performed), intermediate (1-74 robotic cases), or expert (≥ 75 robotic cases). Each subject completed 5 exercises. Using the metrics available in the simulator software, the performances of each group were compared to evaluate construct validation. Immediately after completion of the exercises, each subject completed a questionnaire to evaluate face and content validation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The novice group consisted of 18 medical students and 1 resident. The intermediate group included 6 residents, 1 fellow, and 2 faculty urologist. The expert group consisted of 2 residents, 1 fellow, and 7 faculty surgeons. The mean number of robotic cases performed by the intermediate and expert groups was 29.2 and 233.4, respectively. An overall significant difference was observed in favor of the more experienced group in 4 skill sets. When intermediates and experts were combined into a single "experienced" group, they significantly outperformed novices in all 5 exercises. Intermediates and experts rated various elements of the simulators realism at an average of 4.1/5 and 4.3/5, respectively. All intermediate and expert participants rated the simulator's value as a training tool as 4/5 or 5/5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study supports the face, content, and construct validation attributed to the dVSS. These results indicate that the simulator may be most useful to novice surgeons seeking basic robot skills acquisition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Margules
authors.forename: Chandan R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Kundavaram
authors.forename: Hadley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narins
authors.forename: Leonard G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gomella
authors.forename: Edouard J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Trabulsi
authors.forename: Costas D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Lallas
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012371:Robotics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires