Toolbox of Assessment Tools of Technical Skills in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: A Systematic Review

Objective: To support the development of programs of assessment of technical skills in the operating room (OR), we systematically reviewed the literature to identify assessment tools specific to otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OTL-HNS) core procedures and summarized their characteristics. Methods: We systematically searched Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cochrane to identify and report on assessment tools that can be used to assess residents' technical surgical skills in the operating room for OTL-HNS core procedures. Results: Of the 736 unique titles retrieved, 16 articles met inclusion criteria, covering 11 different procedures (in otology, rhinology, laryngology, head and neck, and general otolaryngology). The tools were composed of a task-specific checklist and/or global rating scale and were developed in the OR, on human cadavers, or in a simulation setting. Conclusions: Our study reports on published tools for assessing technical skills for OTL-HNS residents during core procedures conducted in the OR. These assessment tools could facilitate the provision of timely feedback to trainees including specific goals for improvement. However, the paucity of publications suggests little agreement on how to best perform work-based direct-observation assessment for core surgical procedures in OTL-HNS. The sparsity of tools specific to OTL-HNS may become a barrier to a fluid transition to competency-based medical education.