High educational impact of a national simulation-based urological curriculum including technical and non-technical skills

• Published in: Surgical endoscopy Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 928 - 936
• Main Authors: de Vries, Anna H., Schout, Barbara M. A., van Merriënboer, Jeroen J. G., Pelger, Rob C. M., Koldewijn, Evert L., Muijtjens, Arno M. M., Wagner, Cordula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-02-2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Clinical Competence; Computer Simulation; Core curriculum; Cross-Sectional Studies; Curriculum; Educational Measurement; Gastroenterology; Gynecology; Hepatology; Hospitals, University; Humans; Internship and Residency; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Netherlands; Patient safety; Proctology; Robotics; Simulation; Skill development; Supervisors; Surgery; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching hospitals; Urologic Surgical Procedures - education; Urology; Validity; Netherlands; Simulation; Practical skills; Curriculum development; Urology; Residents
• ISSN: 0930-2794; 1432-2218
• DOI: 10.1007/s00464-016-5060-1

Background
Although simulation training is increasingly used to meet modern technology and patient safety demands, its successful integration within surgical curricula is still rare. The Dutch Urological Practical Skills (D-UPS) curriculum provides modular simulation-based training of technical
and
non-technical basic urological skills in the local hospital setting. This study aims to assess the educational impact of implementing the D-UPS curriculum in the Netherlands and to provide focus points for improvement of the D-UPS curriculum according to the participants.
Methods
Educational impact was assessed by means of qualitative individual module-specific feedback and a quantitative cross-sectional survey among residents and supervisors. Twenty out of 26 Dutch teaching hospitals participated. The survey focussed on practical aspects, the D-UPS curriculum in general, and the impact of the D-UPS curriculum on the development of technical and non-technical skills.
Results
A considerable survey response of 95 % for residents and 76 % for supervisors was obtained. Modules were attended by junior and senior residents, supervised by a urologist, and peer teaching was used. Ninety percent of supervisors versus 67 % of residents judged the D-UPS curriculum as an important addition to current residency training (
p
 = 0.007). Participants’ aggregated general judgement of the modules showed a substantial percentage favorable score (
M
 ± SE: 57 ± 4 %). The impact of training on, e.g., knowledge of materials/equipment and ability to anticipate on complications was high, especially for junior residents (77 ± 5 and 71 ± 7 %, respectively). Focus points for improvement of the D-UPS curriculum according to the participants include adaptation of the training level to residents’ level of experience and focus on logistics.
Conclusion
The simulation-based D-UPS curriculum has a high educational impact. Residents and supervisors consider the curriculum to be an important addition to current residency training. Focus points for improvement of the D-UPS curriculum according to the participants include increased attention to logistics and integration of a spiral learning approach.