title: Objective evaluation of surgical competency for minimally invasive surgery with a collection of simple tests.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims at determining if a collection of 16 motor tests on a physical simulator can objectively discriminate and evaluate practitioners' competency level, i.e. novice, resident, and expert.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental design with three study groups (novice, resident, and expert) was developed to test the evaluation power of each of the 16 simple tests. An ANOVA and a Student Newman-Keuls (SNK) test were used to analyze results of each test to determine which of them can discriminate participants' competency level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of the 16 tests used discriminated all of the three competency levels and 15 discriminated at least two of the three groups (α= 0.05). Moreover, other two tests differentiate beginners' level from intermediate, and other seven tests differentiate intermediate level from expert.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The competency level of a practitioner of minimally invasive surgery can be evaluated by a specific collection of basic tests in a physical surgical simulator. Reduction of the number of tests needed to discriminate the competency level of surgeons can be the aim of future research.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería, Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Eliana Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Neira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería, Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Claudia Patricia
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería, Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rugeles-Quintero
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004210:Dissection / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D000066908:Simulation Training; D066231:Surgeons / Q000592:standards*; D013537:Sutures / Q000592:standards
keywords: Proficiency-based training; laparoscopic skill assessment; simulation