CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Academic Ophthalmology 2019; 11(02): e10-e17
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1693419
Research Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Surgical Aptitude Testing among Ophthalmology Residency Applicants: Current Utilization and Residency Program Directors' Perspectives

Amy Lu
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
,
Samuel Beckstead
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
,
Michael Wilkinson
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
,
Ingrid U. Scott
1   Department of Ophthalmology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
2   Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
› Author Affiliations
Funding None.
Further Information

Publication History

26 February 2019

28 May 2019

Publication Date:
15 July 2019 (online)

Abstract

Purpose To investigate the proportion of United States ophthalmology residency programs that utilize surgical aptitude testing during the applicant interview, and the perspectives of program directors (PDs) regarding surgical aptitude testing of applicants.

Design This is a cross-sectional survey.

Methods An anonymous survey constructed on REDCap was emailed to the PD of each ophthalmology residency accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Main outcome measures are proportion of programs which include surgical aptitude testing during the applicant interview, and proportion of PDs who (1) believe the current residency application process adequately assesses applicants' surgical aptitude; (2) believe surgical aptitude testing results predict surgical success; and (3) favor inclusion of surgical aptitude testing for applicant evaluation.

Results Of 115 PDs, 63 completed the survey (54.8%). One (1.6%) reported current use of surgical aptitude testing during the interview and 6 (9.5%) used such testing previously. Fifty-five (87.3%) respondents do not believe the residency application process adequately assesses surgical aptitude. Most respondents (40/63, 63.5%) do not support using results from currently available surgical aptitude testing strategies performed during the interview to rank applicants; 47 (74.6%) do not believe results of such testing predict ultimate surgical potential. However, 35 (55.6%) would use surgical aptitude data for applicant screening if valid testing could be performed before the interview.

Conclusion While most PDs do not believe the current ophthalmology residency application process adequately assesses surgical aptitude, screening for surgical aptitude during the application process is seldom employed, largely due to a perceived lack of valid testing strategies available.

Note

This study was presented in part at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, 2019, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.


 
  • References

  • 1 Binenbaum G, Volpe NJ. Ophthalmology resident surgical competency: a national survey. Ophthalmology 2006; 113 (07) 1237-1244
  • 2 Lee AG, Golnik KC, Oetting TA. , et al. Re-engineering the resident applicant selection process in ophthalmology: a literature review and recommendations for improvement. Surv Ophthalmol 2008; 53 (02) 164-176
  • 3 Williams JF, Watson SL, Baker DK. , et al. Psychomotor testing for orthopedic residency applicants: a pilot study. J Surg Educ 2017; 74 (05) 820-827
  • 4 Roitberg B, Banerjee P, Luciano C. , et al. Sensory and motor skill testing in neurosurgery applicants: a pilot study using a virtual reality haptic neurosurgical simulator. Neurosurgery 2013; 73 (Suppl. 01) 116-121
  • 5 Van Herzeele I, O'Donoghue KGL, Aggarwal R, Vermassen F, Darzi A, Cheshire NJW. Visuospatial and psychomotor aptitude predicts endovascular performance of inexperienced individuals on a virtual reality simulator. J Vasc Surg 2010; 51 (04) 1035-1042
  • 6 Tang CG, Hilsinger Jr RL, Cruz RM, Schloegel LJ, Byl Jr FM, Rasgon BM. Manual dexterity aptitude testing: a soap carving study. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014; 140 (03) 243-249
  • 7 Kirby TJ. Dexterity testing and residents' surgical performance. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc 1979; 77: 294-307
  • 8 Blomquist P. Is it time to adopt vision screening for ophthalmology residency program applicants?. J Acad Ophthalmol. 2014; 07 (01) e001-e002
  • 9 Sachdeva R, Traboulsi EI. Performance of patients with deficient stereoacuity on the EYESi microsurgical simulator. Am J Ophthalmol 2011; 151 (03) 427-33.e1
  • 10 Harris PA, Taylor R, Thielke R, Payne J, Gonzalez N, Conde JG. Research electronic data capture (REDCap)—a metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. J Biomed Inform 2009; 42 (02) 377-381
  • 11 Hatton MP, Loewenstein J. Attrition from ophthalmology residency programs. Am J Ophthalmol 2004; 138 (05) 863-864
  • 12 Tansley P, Kakar S, Withey S, Butler P. Visuospatial and technical ability in the selection and assessment of higher surgical trainees in the London deanery. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2007; 89 (06) 591-595
  • 13 Gallagher AG, Leonard G, Traynor OJ. Role and feasibility of psychomotor and dexterity testing in selection for surgical training. ANZ J Surg 2009; 79 (03) 108-113
  • 14 Oetting TA. Surgical competency in residents. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2009; 20 (01) 56-60
  • 15 Roohipoor R, Yaseri M, Teymourpour A, Kloek C, Miller JB, Loewenstein JI. Early performance on an eye surgery simulator predicts subsequent resident surgical performance. J Surg Educ 2017; 74 (06) 1105-1115
  • 16 Louridas M, Szasz P, de Montbrun S, Harris KA, Grantcharov TP. Can we predict technical aptitude? A systematic review. Ann Surg 2016; 263 (04) 673-691
  • 17 Gardner AK, Ritter EM, Paige JT, Ahmed RA, Fernandez G, Dunkin BJ. Simulation-based selection of surgical trainees: considerations, challenges, and opportunities. J Am Coll Surg 2016; 223 (03) 530-536
  • 18 Panait L, Larios JM, Brenes RA. , et al. Surgical skills assessment of applicants to general surgery residency. J Surg Res 2011; 170 (02) 189-194
  • 19 Buckley CE, Kavanagh DO, Gallagher TK, Conroy RM, Traynor OJ, Neary PC. Does aptitude influence the rate at which proficiency is achieved for laparoscopic appendectomy?. J Am Coll Surg 2013; 217 (06) 1020-1027
  • 20 Wanzel KR, Hamstra SJ, Anastakis DJ, Matsumoto ED, Cusimano MD. Effect of visual-spatial ability on learning of spatially-complex surgical skills. Lancet 2002; 359 (9302): 230-231
  • 21 Hinchcliff E, Green I, Destephano C. , et al. Visuospatial aptitude testing differentially predicts simulated surgical skill. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2018; 25 (06) 1044-1050
  • 22 Chung AT, Lenci LT, Wang K. , et al. Effect of fine-motor-skill activities on surgical simulator performance. J Cataract Refract Surg 2017; 43 (07) 915-922
  • 23 Selvander M, Åsman P. Virtual reality cataract surgery training: learning curves and concurrent validity. Acta Ophthalmol 2012; 90 (05) 412-417
  • 24 Thomsen ASS, Bach-Holm D, Kjærbo H. , et al. Operating room performance improves after proficiency-based virtual reality cataract surgery training. Ophthalmology 2017; 124 (04) 524-531
  • 25 McCannel CA, Reed DC, Goldman DR. Ophthalmic surgery simulator training improves resident performance of capsulorhexis in the operating room. Ophthalmology 2013; 120 (12) 2456-2461
  • 26 Thomsen ASS, Smith P, Subhi Y. , et al. High correlation between performance on a virtual-reality simulator and real-life cataract surgery. Acta Ophthalmol 2017; 95 (03) 307-311
  • 27 Jardine D, Hoagland B, Perez A, Gessler E. Evaluation of surgical dexterity during the interview day: another factor for consideration. J Grad Med Educ 2015; 7 (02) 234-237
  • 28 Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 USC §2000e, et.seq. Available at: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm . Accessed April 12, 2019.
  • 29 Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, 42 USC § 12101 Note. Available at: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adaaa.cfm . Accessed April 12, 2019
  • 30 Smith WT, Allen WL. Implications of the 2008 amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act for medical education. Acad Med 2011; 86 (06) 768-772
  • 31 Code of Federal Regulations. 29 CFR 1604.7—pre-employment inquiries as to sex; 2009 . Available at: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2009-title29-vol4/CFR-2009-title29-vol4-sec1604-7/summary . Accessed April 12, 2019