Self-assessment during a 2-day laparoscopic colectomy course: can surgeons judge how well they are learning new skills?

Background The objectives of this study were to (1) establish the utility of an assessment tool for participants in a laparoscopic colectomy course and (2) to determine the accuracy of technical skill self-assessment in this group. Methods Twenty-two surgeons enrolled in a 2-day course participated. During the animal laboratory, each participant’s operative performance was videotaped. Participants completed a global rating scale (GRS) instrument to self-assess their performances. By using the same GRS, 2 trained raters independently assessed each performance by videotape review. Results For the trained raters, the GRS showed excellent interrater reliability (r = .76, P < .001). There was no correlation between trained rater scores and self-assessment scores. Furthermore, the trained rater scores (mean, 2.62 and 2.99) were significantly lower than the self-assessment scores (4.05, P < .001). Conclusions Surgeons consistently overestimated their performance during a laparoscopic colectomy course as measured by reliable GRS. This finding highlights the issue of credentialing and the importance of preceptorship for surgeons completing such courses.