Top

Published in:

01-10-2020 | Endoscopy | 2019 SAGES Oral

Resident perception of fundamental endoscopic skills exam: a single institution’s experience

Authors: Jacqueline J. Blank, Theresa B. Krausert, Lisa R. Olson, Matthew I. Goldblatt, Brian D. Lewis, Philip N. Redlich, Robert Treat, Andrew S. Kastenmeier

Published in: Surgical Endoscopy | Issue 10/2020

Abstract

Background

Graduating general surgery residents are required to pass the FES exam for ABS certification. Trainees and surgery educators are interested in defining the most effective methods of exam preparation. Our aim is to define trainee perceptions, performance, and the most effective preparation methods regarding the FES exam.

Methods

General surgery residents from a single institution who completed the FES exam were identified. All participated in a flexible endoscopy rotation, and all had access to an endoscopy simulator. Residents were surveyed regarding preparation methods and exam difficulty. Descriptive statistics and a Kruskal–Wallis test were used.

Results

A total of 26 trainees took the FES exam with a first-time pass rate of 96.2%. Of 26 surveys administered, 21 were completed. Twenty trainees (76.9%) participated in a dedicated endoscopy curriculum. Scores were not different among those who received dedicated curricular instruction compared to those who did not (547 [IQR 539–562.5] vs. 516 [484.5–547], p = 0.1484; 535.5 [468.5–571] vs. 519 [464.75–575], p = 0.9514). Written exam difficulty was rated as 5.5 on a 10-point Likert scale, and 85.7% felt it was a fair assessment of endoscopy knowledge; skills exam difficulty was rated as 7, and 71% felt it was a fair assessment of endoscopy skills. Online FES modules, the endoscopy clinical rotation, and an exam preparation session with a faculty member were most effective for written exam preparation. The most effective skills exam preparation methods were independent simulator practice, the endoscopy clinical rotation, and a preparation session with a faculty member. The most difficult skills were loop reduction and retroflexion. Skill decay did not appear to be significant.

Conclusions

A clinical endoscopy rotation, a method for independent skills practice, and faculty-mediated exam instruction appear to be effective exam preparation methods. When these are present, trainees report minimal need for dedicated exam preparation time prior to taking the FES exam.

Valentine RJ, Jones A, Biester TW, Cogbill TH, Borman KR, Rhodes RS (2011) General surgery workloads and practice patterns in the United States, 2007 to 2009: a 10-year update from the American Board of Surgery. Ann Surg 254(3):520–526. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0b013e31822cd175CrossRefPubMed

King N, Kunac A, Merchant AM (2015) A review of endoscopic simulation: current evidence on simulators and curricula. J Surg Educ 73:12–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2015.09.001CrossRefPubMed

Hazey JW, Marks JM, Mellinger JD et al (2014) Why fundamentals of endoscopic surgery (FES)? Surg Endosc 28(3):701–703. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-013-3299-3CrossRefPubMed

Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery. Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. http://www.fesprogram.org/

Ritter EM, Taylor ZA, Wolf KR et al (2018) Simulation-based mastery learning for endoscopy using the endoscopy training system: a strategy to improve endoscopic skills and prepare for the fundamentals of endoscopic surgery (FES) manual skills exam. Surg Endosc 32:413–420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-017-5697-4CrossRefPubMed

The American Board of Surgery Inc (2014) Flexible endoscopy curriculum for general surgery residents. http://www.absurgery.org/xfer/abs-fec.pdf

Schiffer C (2008) ABS to Require ACLS, ATLS and FLS for General Surgery Certification. The American Board of Surgery. https://www.absurgery.org/default.jsp?news_newreqs. Accessed 10 June 2018

Hashimoto DA, Petrusa E, Phitayakorn R, Valle C, Casey B, Gee D (2018) A proficiency-based virtual reality endoscopy curriculum improves performance on the fundamentals of endoscopic surgery examination. Surg Endosc 32:1397–1404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-017-5821-5CrossRefPubMed

Walsh CM, Sherlock ME, Ling SC, Carnahan H (2012) Virtual reality simulation training for health professions trainees in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6:CD008237. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd008237.pub2CrossRef

Title: Resident perception of fundamental endoscopic skills exam: a single institution’s experience
Authors: Jacqueline J. Blank
Theresa B. Krausert
Lisa R. Olson
Matthew I. Goldblatt
Brian D. Lewis
Philip N. Redlich
Robert Treat
Andrew S. Kastenmeier
Publication date: 01-10-2020
Publisher: Springer US
Keywords: Endoscopy
Basic Surgery
Published in: Surgical Endoscopy / Issue 10/2020
Print ISSN: 0930-2794
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2218
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-019-07235-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Resident perception of fundamental endoscopic skills exam: a single institution’s experience

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 10/2020

Avoiding urethral and rectal injury during transperineal abdominoperineal resection in male patients with anorectal cancer

Minimally invasive inguinal lymph node dissection: initial experience and reproducibility in a limited resource setting—with technique video

Distal gastric mucosa ablation induces significant weight loss and improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes Sprague–Dawley rat model

Feasibility and efficacy of repeat laparoscopic liver resection for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

Effects of laparoscopic vs open abdominal surgery on costs and hospital readmission rate and its effect modification by surgeons’ case volume

Single-stage management of choledocholithiasis: intraoperative ERCP versus laparoscopic common bile duct exploration