Biomedical subjects

Ravindar S Sidhu

Publications and source records attributed to Ravindar S Sidhu.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The assessment of technical and interpretative proficiency in echocardiography.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the relationship between traditional measures of proficiency in echocardiography and an objective assessment of technical and interpretative skills. BACKGROUND: Determination of competency in echocardiography is currently based on the number of months of training, echocardiograms scanned, and echocardiograms interpreted. It has not been established whether completion of these requirements is a surrogate for competency. METHODS: In all, 22 cardiology fellows underwent an echocardiography objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). RESULTS: There was a correlation between the number of echocardiograms scanned and the interpretation (r = 0.45, P = .038) and scanning (r = 0.42, P = .048) scores. There was a weak correlation between the number of echocardiograms interpreted and interpretation scores (r = 0.33); and number of months of training and the scanning (r = 0.39) and interpretation (r = 0.42) scores. CONCLUSIONS: Technical and interpretative proficiency in echocardiography is not related to traditional measures. An objective assessment of acquisition and interpretation of echocardiographic data should be incorporated into the assessment of proficiency in echocardiography.

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PubMed2004

Laboratory based training in urological microsurgery with bench model simulators: a randomized controlled trial evaluating the durability of technical skill.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the durability of laboratory based technical skills training in urological microsurgery using bench model simulators. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 50 junior surgery residents (post-graduate years 1 to 3) were recruited to participate in a focused training program in urological microsurgery. Prior to training subjects were randomized to receive hands-on training with bench model simulators (silicone tubing or live rat vas deferens, 40) or didactic training alone (10). Four months following the original training program the technical performance of 18 returning subjects (13 from the bench model and 5 from the didactic training group) was reevaluated using a high fidelity, live animal model (vasovasostomy and rat vas deferens). Outcome measures included blinded, expert assessment of videotaped performance using checklists and global rating scores, and evaluation of anastomotic patency. RESULTS: The retention test checklist (p <0.001), global rating scores (p <0.001) and anastomotic patency rates (p = 0.05) in the live animal model remained significantly higher for subjects who originally received hands-on bench model training compared with those who received didactic training alone. The number of interim practice opportunities with microsurgery correlated significantly with expert global ratings of surgical performance irrespective of the nature of training (r = 0.54, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Laboratory based technical skills training with bench models can lead to a significant retention of technical skill by novice surgeons. Measured performance improvements appear to be durable with time. However, the opportunity for repeat hands-on practice appears to maximize the retention of technical skill.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The educational impact of bench model fidelity on the acquisition of technical skill: the use of clinically relevant outcome measures.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of bench model fidelity on the acquisition of technical skill using clinically relevant outcome measures. METHODS: Fifty junior surgery residents participated in a 1-day microsurgical training course. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: 1) high-fidelity model training (live rat vas deferens; n = 21); 2) low-fidelity model training (silicone tubing; n = 19); or 3) didactic training alone (n = 10). Following training, all participants were assessed on the high- and low-fidelity bench models. Immediate outcome measures included procedure times, blinded, expert assessment of videotaped performance using checklists and global rating scales, anastomotic patency, suture placement precision, and final product ratings. Delayed outcome measures (obtained from the live rat vas deferens 30 days following training) included anastomotic patency, presence of a sperm granuloma, and the presence of sperm on microscopy. RESULTS: Following training, checklist (P < 0.001) and global rating scores (P < 0.001) on the bench model simulators were higher among subjects who received hands-on training, irrespective of model fidelity. Immediate anastomotic patency rates of the rat vas deferens were higher with increasing model fidelity training (P = 0.048). Delayed anastomotic patency rates were higher among subjects who received bench model training, irrespective of model fidelity (P = 0.02). Rates of sperm presence on microscopy were higher among subjects who received high-fidelity model training compared with subjects who received didactic training (P = 0.039) but did not differ among subjects in the high- and low-fidelity groups. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical skills training on low-fidelity bench models appears to be as effective as high-fidelity model training for the acquisition of technical skill among novice surgeons.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Validation of novel and objective measures of microsurgical skill: Hand-motion analysis and stereoscopic visual acuity.

Our purposes were: 1) to establish the predictive validity of stereoscopic visual acuity and microsurgical performance, and 2) to establish the construct and concurrent validity of hand-motion analysis as an objective and sensitive measure of microsurgical performance. Using a surgical microscope, 50 surgical residents completed a standardized microsurgical suturing task at baseline and following microsurgical training. Microsurgical performance was evaluated by blinded, expert microsurgeons using global rating scales. Measures of stereoscopic visual acuity and hand-motion analysis were correlated with expert global rating scores. Global rating scores correlated significantly with number of hand movements (r = -0.47, P = 0.001) and hand-travel distance (r = -0.37, P = 0.008). Economy of hand-motion improved significantly following microsurgical training (number of hand movements, P = 0.046; hand-travel distance, P = 0.04). Measures of stereoscopic visual acuity did not correlate significantly with global rating scores. Hand-motion analysis appears to be an objective and sensitive instrument for assessing microsurgical performance, with evidence of both concurrent and construct validity. The predictive validity of stereoscopic visual acuity and microsurgical performance remains unclear.

Adult↗