Comparison of objective, structured assessment of technical skills with a virtual reality hysteroscopy trainer and standard latex hysteroscopy model

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a virtual reality (VR) hysteroscopy device and a standard latex hysteroscopy model for assessment of residents' surgical skills. STUDY DESIGN: As part of a 7-station, objective, structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS), 13 obstetrics and gynecology residents performed myoma resection with the Immersion Hysteroscopy VR Trainer (Gaithersburg, Maryland) and dissection of a polyp with a model from Limbs and Things, Inc. (LT) (Bristol, England). OSATS ioere scored by both blinded (to the residents' levels) and unblinded examiners using a task-specific checklist, global rating scale and pass/fail assessment. RESULTS: Reliability indices for the VR model were 0.70 (checklist) and 0.98 (global), with an interrater reliability of 0.87 and 0.92, respectively. Correlation of scores between blinded and unblinded examiners was 0.78 for the checklist and 0.88 for the global (p < 0.001). Examination of construct validity revealed improved scores with increasing postgraduate year. Comparison of VR scores to LT scores revealed VR scores to be significantly higher than LT scores (p < 0.001). Correlations of VR and LT scores were low for both the global (0.478, p = 0.22) and checklist (0.362, p = 0.24). CONCLUSION: The VR Hysteroscopy Trainer is not superior to standard models for evaluating surgical skills.