High acceptability of a newly developed urological practical skills training program.
BACKGROUND
Benefits of simulation training are widely recognized, but its structural implementation into urological curricula remains challenging. This study aims to gain insight into current and ideal urological practical skills training and presents the outline of a newly developed skills training program, including an assessment of the design characteristics that may increase its acceptability.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to the urology residents (n = 87) and program directors (n = 45) of all Dutch teaching hospitals. Open- and close-ended questions were used to determine the views on current and ideal skills training and the newly developed skills training program. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 residents and 15 program directors. All interviews were audiotaped, fully transcribed, and thereafter analyzed.


RESULTS
Response was 87.4% for residents and 86.7% for program directors. Residents appeared to be still predominantly trained 'by doing'. Structured practical skills training in local hospitals takes place according to 12% of the residents versus 44% of the program directors (p < 0.001). Ideally, residents prefer to practice certain procedures on simulation models first, especially in endourology. The majority of residents (92%) and program directors (87%) approved of implementing the newly developed skills training program (p = 0.51). 'Structured scheduling', 'use of peer teaching' and 'high fidelity models' were indicated as design characteristics that increase its acceptability.


CONCLUSIONS
Current urological residency training consists of patient-related 'learning by doing', although more practice on simulation models is desired. The acceptability of implementing the presented skills-training program is high. Design characteristics that increase its acceptability are structured scheduling, the use of peer teaching and high fidelity models.
Department of Urology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. a.h.de.vries@hotmail.com.
Anna H
AH
de Vries
Academy of Post-graduate Education, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. sj.van.luijk@mumc.nl.
Scheltus J
SJ
van Luijk
Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. a.scherpbier@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
Albert J J A
AJ
Scherpbier
Department of Urology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. a.hendrikx@onsnet.nu.
Ad J M
AJ
Hendrikx
Department of Urology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. evert.koldewijn@cze.nl.|Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands. evert.koldewijn@cze.nl.
Evert L
EL
Koldewijn
Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.wagner@nivel.nl.|Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. c.wagner@nivel.nl.
Cordula
C
Wagner
Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. bschout.uro@gmail.com.|Department of Urology, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. bschout.uro@gmail.com.
Barbara M A
BM
Schout
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003479:Curriculum; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009426:Netherlands; D000066908:Simulation Training / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014572:Urology / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data