[Evaluation of surgical skills of French ophthalmology, orthopedic and gastrointestinal surgery residents: Current status and perspectives]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the need for nationwide assessment of surgical skills during residency, and to define ideal methods for assessment in three surgical disciplines: ophthalmology, orthopedics and gastrointestinal surgery. Three online questionnaires were sent by e-mail to 784 residents, fellows and hospital practitioners, and 119 university hospital physican-professors. Questionnaires focused on current assessment methods at the regional level, the roles of the surveyed population in these evaluations, potential obstacles to their development and the most relevant methods for practical evaluations. Nine hundred and three questionnaires were sent; 355 participants replied (response rate: 39%). The establishment of systematic assessment seemed necessary to over 90% of the survey population, and this opinion was equitably distributed among all three specialties. Over 60% of respondents felt that current assessment procedures were not satisfactory. In all three specialties, the ideal evaluation method proposed was a real patient procedure. This "in vivo" evaluation was considered applicable in 80% of cases, potential barriers to its development being the resident's anxiety, medical-legal reasons and the lack of objective criteria. The ideal timing of these assessments was bi-annual. Implementation of surgical skills assessment during residency seems necessary. The survey population appears dissatisfied with current arrangements. A step-by-step evaluation combining surgical simulations, animal training and live patient procedures may be appropriate.