Objective assessment of Myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion: A prospective single-blinded validation study.
Despite the transition to competency-based education in surgery, few standardized assessment tools exist in otolaryngology training. In particular, myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion (M+T) is a common surgical procedure with few validated assessment tools available. Our objectives were to develop an objective structured assessment of operative skills in M+T and to provide validity evidence for the developed assessment tool within otolaryngology training.



Prospective study involving the evaluation of an assessment tool.



Through consultation with a panel of experts in otolaryngology and medical education we developed a Task-Specific Checklist and Global Rating Scale for M+T. Postgraduate year 2 junior residents, postgraduate year 3 senior residents, and attending otolaryngologists were video recorded performing M+T at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. The videos were subsequently reviewed and independently evaluated by three blinded raters from an unaffiliated academic institution.



The average score of junior residents, senior residents, and attending otolaryngologists using the Task-Specific Checklist was 21.7/30 (±7.1), 26.3/30 (±3.5), and 27.3/30 (±6.2), respectively (P = .04). For the Global Rating Scale, the scores for junior residents, senior residents, and attending surgeons were 27.7/50 (±11.2), 34.5/50 (±9.5), and 45.1/50 (±4.6), respectively (P < .001). The inter-rater and intrarater reliability were both above 0.88.



The Task-Specific Checklist and Global Rating Scale for M+T appear reliable, with validity evidence supporting their use in otolaryngology training.



NA Laryngoscope, 126:2140-2146, 2016.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Joseph
J
Schwartz
Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Adrian
A
Costescu
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Marco A
MA
Mascarella
Center for Medical Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.|Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Meredith E
ME
Young
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Murad
M
Husein
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Sumit
S
Agrawal
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Kathryn
K
Roth
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Philip C
PC
Doyle
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.|Center for Medical Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Lily H P
LH
Nguyen
D057189:Checklist; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D006801:Humans; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000193:education*; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method
Myringotomy; competency-based education; residency; tympanostomy