Evaluation of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents’ Operative Skills: Feasibility & Engagement Study Using SIMPL Software for a Mobile Phone

Publication date: Available online 8 June 2017
Source:Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): Leonard B. Kaban, Alyssa Cappetta, Brian George, Edward Lahey, Jordan Bohnen, Maria J. Troulis
PurposeThere are no universally accepted tools to evaluate operative skills of surgical residents in a timely fashion. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using a Smartphone application SIMPL (System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning), developed by a multi-institutional research collaborative, to achieve a high rate of timely operative evaluations and resident communication and to collect performance data. We hypothesized that these goals would be achieved because the process is convenient and efficient.MethodsThis is a prospective feasibility and engagement study using SIMPL to evaluate resident operative skills. SIMPL requires the attending surgeon to answer three multiple choice questions: 1. What level of help (Zwisch scale) was required by the trainee? 2. What was the level of performance? 3. How complex was the case? The evaluator can also dictate a narrative. The sample was composed of three faculty and three volunteer senior residents. Predictor variables were the surgeons, trainees and procedures performed. Outcome variables included: number and percent procedures performed by faculty/resident pairs assessed; time required to complete assessments, time lapsed to submission; percent assessments with narratives; and residents' response rates.ResultsFrom March through June 2016, 151 procedures were performed in the operating room by the faculty/resident teams. There were 107 assessments submitted (71%). Resident response (self-assessment) to faculty evaluations was 81%. Recorded time to complete assessments (n=75/107) was under two minutes. The time lapsed to submission was < 72 hours (100%). Dictations were submitted for 35 evaluations (33%). Data for the type of help, performance, and complexity of cases were collected for each resident.ConclusionsSIMPL facilitates timely intraoperative evaluations of surgical skills, engagement by faculty and residents, and collection of detailed procedural data. We plan additional prospective trials to further assess this tool.



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