The American Journal of Surgery
Volume 193, Issue 5 , Pages 551-555, May 2007

A universal global rating scale for the evaluation of technical skills in the operating room

Presented at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the North Pacific Surgical Association, Spokane, WA, November 10–11, 2006

  • Jeffrey D. Doyle, M.D.
    • ,
  • Eric M. Webber, M.D.
    • ,
  • Ravi S. Sidhu, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Surgery, Room C318, Burrard Building, St. Paul’s Hospital, 1081 Burrard St., Vancouver BC, Canada V6Z 1YZ. Tel.: +1-604-806-8698; fax: +1-604-806-8666.

Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 910 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 4E3

Received 6 December 2006; received in revised form 5 February 2007

Abstract 

Background

The ideal assessment of technical skills should be defensible and practical. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of a Global Rating Scale (GRS) Assessment tool of resident operating room performance.

Methods

Residents were assessed in the operating room on multiple occasions during a 6-month study period using a 9-item GRS. Data were analyzed to assess scale reliability and sensitivity to year of training. Feasibility was evaluated with a post-study questionnaire.

Results

Seven residents had a total of 32 procedures assessed. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that scores increased with year of training (P = .009). Reliability was excellent. (Cronbach’s α .91). The post-study survey identified feedback and faculty interaction as strengths of this tool, but time constraint was a barrier.

Conclusions

The GRS tool is a valid and reliable method that has the potential to be a practical, useful assessment tool of resident operating room performance.

Keywords: Global Rating Scale, Technical skills, Educational assessment, Clinical competence, Surgical training

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PII: S0002-9610(07)00074-8

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2007.02.003

The American Journal of Surgery
Volume 193, Issue 5 , Pages 551-555, May 2007

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