The Interactive Relationship Between Instructor Perceptions and Learner Personality on Surgical Skills Performance

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the association between learner personality and capacity to be trained (i.e., performance improvement) on a surgical task, and how instructor perceptions of the learners' capacity to be trained interact with learner personality and performance during training and feedback. There is meaningful heterogeneity in the degree of learner surgical skills acquisition despite receiving the same amount of training. While learner personality may independently contribute to skill acquisition, the instructor-learner feedback process is also important to consider. To better understand this interpersonal relationship, it is necessary to also consider instructor factors (i.e., perceptions), and how this may contribute to learner variability in skills training.& nbsp;DESIGN: This exploratory study employed a prospective two-phase design. Medical and non-medical undergraduate students (N = 62) completed measures of personality and participated in two 20-minute training sessions with expert feedback 2 weeks apart, performing an end-to side anastomosis on a low-fidelity model. Learner performance and instructors' perceptions of a learner's capacity to be trained were assessed.& nbsp;PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two medical and non-medical undergraduate students.& nbsp;RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between learner Extraversion and instructor's perceptions of learner capacity to be trained. Higher learner Extraversion was only associated with an increase in performance improvement for those who were considered trainable (OR = 4.83, p = 0.017). Post hoc analysis revealed a significant difference in the amount of feedback provided to participants who were considered trainable (M = 9.45) versus not trainable (M = 16.48).& nbsp;CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of both individual learner factors and instructor perceptions on surgical skill acquisition. ( J Surg Ed 79:686-694. (C) 2022 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)