title: Video self-assessment of basic suturing and knot tying skills by novice trainees.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-assessment is important to learning but few studies have utilized video self-assessment of basic surgical skills. We compared a video self-assessment of suturing and knot tying skills by novice trainees to the assessment by a senior attending surgeon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen senior medical students and 7 beginner surgical interns were video-recorded while performing five suturing and knot tying tasks. All videos were analyzed using an objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) metrics (1-5 scale; 1 = novice, 5 = expert). Video self-assessment was carried out within 4 weeks of an instructional session and subsequently by one senior surgery instructor (blinded to the individual). Both a Global score and total combined OSATS scores were analyzed. Total possible OSATS scores were: interrupted suture-30, subcuticular closure-30, one and two-handed knot tying-25 each, tying in a restricted space 20; maximum combined score-130 points). Confidence levels in performing the tasks pre-test and the value of video self-assessment were rated on a 1-5 Likert scale (1 = low and 5 = high). Data are mean±SD and statistical significance was evaluated using Friedman's test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-assessment scoring was significantly higher than the assessment by a senior instructor for three tasks by global score and all five tasks by combined OSATS score (self-assessment 71.8±16.7 vs attending assessment 56.7±11.0, p = 0.007). Mean self-assessment Global scores ranged from 2.5 to 2.8 for all tasks performed compared to 1.8-2.3 for attending surgeon assessment (p<0.05). Confidence levels demonstrated no correlation to performance speed or proficiency. The video self-assessment was rated as a highly valuable (mean 4.3±0.8) component to skills training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Novice trainees over-estimate their basic technical skills performance compared to the assessment by a senior surgeon. Video self-assessment may be a valuable addition to a pre-residency and surgical internship preparatory curriculum in basic suturing and knot tying.
authors: Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors: Yinin
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: Debbie
authors: D
authors: Tiemann
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Michael Brunt
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D007396:Internship and Residency; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education*; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000193:education*; D014743:Videotape Recording