Lessons learned: end-user assessment of a skills laboratory based training programme for urology trainees

OBJECTIVES center dot To evaluate the benefit of a skills laboratory based training programme to urology resident training by end-user assessment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS center dot All participants in a urological skills workshop programme conducted at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Melbourne, Australia, between 2004 and 2009 were included. center dot This was a retrospective review using a structured questionnaire. center dot Topics regarding course organization, content, delivery and relevance to clinical practice were examined. center dot Free-text entry responses allowed participants to elaborate on specific points as appropriate. RESULTS center dot During the study period, 35 individual workshops were conducted. center dot In all, 41 of 43 eligible participants completed the survey for a response rate of 95%. center dot Overall, 26 (63%) found the experience valuable, interesting and useful. center dot Of the remainder (37%), four (10%) found it interesting but not useful to training, five (12%) found it useful and a good idea but not well conducted, and two (5%) found it neither interesting nor useful for training. center dot Workshop success was intimately related to the quality of the simulator or model used: highly rated workshops consistently used models that were 'realistic' and 'life-like', while poorly rated workshops were associated with models considered 'impossible' and 'not tested'. CONCLUSIONS center dot The use of skills laboratory based workshops can enhance the surgical training of urology residents, at least as assessed by the end-users themselves. center dot However, closer attention to the selection and use of properly tested and validated models may maximize the educational opportunity. center dot Translational research prospectively examining the impact of workshops on live patient surgery and outcomes is still required.