title: Construct validity of fresh frozen human cadaver as a training model in minimal access surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The construct validity of fresh human cadaver as a training tool has not been established previously. The aims of this study were to investigate the construct validity of fresh frozen human cadaver as a method of training in minimal access surgery and determine if  novices can be rapidly trained using this model to a safe level of performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Junior surgical trainees, novices (<3 laparoscopic procedure performed) in laparoscopic surgery, performed 10 repetitions of a set of structured laparoscopic tasks on fresh frozen cadavers.  Expert laparoscopists (>100 laparoscopic procedures) performed 3 repetitions of identical tasks. Performances were scored using a validated, objective Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills scale. Scores for 3 consecutive repetitions were compared between experts and novices  to determine construct validity. Furthermore, to determine if the novices reached a safe level, a trimmed mean of the experts score was used to define a benchmark. Mann-Whitney Utest was used for construct validity analysis and 1-sample t test to compare performances of the novice  group with the benchmark safe score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten novices and 2 experts were recruited. Four out of 5 tasks (nondominant to dominant hand transfer; simulated appendicectomy; intracorporeal and extracorporeal knot tying) showed construct validity. Novices' scores became comparable  to benchmark scores between the eighth and tenth repetition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minimal access surgical training using fresh frozen human cadavers appears to have construct validity. The laparoscopic skills of novices can be accelerated through to a safe level within 8 to 10 repetitions.
authors: Newcastle Surgical Training Centre, Department of General Surgery, Freeman Hospital NHS Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, UK. dr_miteshsharma@yahoo.co.uk
authors: Mitesh
authors: M
authors: Sharma
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Macafee
authors: Nagarajan
authors: N
authors: Pranesh
authors: Alan F
authors: AF
authors: Horgan
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D017145:Models, Educational; D013664:Teaching Materials; D014584:User-Computer Interface