TY - JOUR

T1 - Overcoming Gender Bias in Assessment of Surgical Skills

AU - Fjørtoft, Karn

AU - Konge, Lars

AU - Christensen, John

AU - Thinggard, Ebbe

N1 - Funding Information: Equipment was provided by Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation, Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Association of Program Directors in Surgery

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Female and male surgical residents are treated differently based on their gender. The use of assessment tools can help obtain objectivity in surgical skills assessment, avoid gender bias, and promote equal learning opportunities. The objective of the study was to explore whether knowledge of gender causes bias in the rating of surgical skills, and whether the raters’ gender, surgical specialty, or experience affect ratings. DESIGN: The study is designed as a cross-sectional study, where an anonymous video showing surgical performance was rated by surgeons from different surgical specialties and different levels of surgical experience. The same video was presented to two randomized groups as either a male or female surgical trainee performing the procedure. SETTING: The participants used Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) to rate a video-recorded exam from a surgical skills course at Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation (CAMES). The video rating was done through an internet-based platform and could thus be performed at home or at another location of choice. PARTICIPANTS: Novice and experienced surgeons from departments of gastrointestinal surgery, gynaecology, and urology in Denmark. RESULTS: There was no difference in OSATS rating score of the perceived female and male trainee (female trainee (n = 50):12.26 (SD = 3.08), male trainee (n = 57): 12.00 (SD = 3.28), p-value = 0.67). Rater characteristics: gender, age, surgical experience, and surgical specialty did not affect ratings. CONCLUSIONS: When OSATS a systematic assessment tool was used in rating surgical trainees we did not find any significant implicit gender bias. The rating was unaffected by the raters’ gender, age, surgical specialty, or experience.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Female and male surgical residents are treated differently based on their gender. The use of assessment tools can help obtain objectivity in surgical skills assessment, avoid gender bias, and promote equal learning opportunities. The objective of the study was to explore whether knowledge of gender causes bias in the rating of surgical skills, and whether the raters’ gender, surgical specialty, or experience affect ratings. DESIGN: The study is designed as a cross-sectional study, where an anonymous video showing surgical performance was rated by surgeons from different surgical specialties and different levels of surgical experience. The same video was presented to two randomized groups as either a male or female surgical trainee performing the procedure. SETTING: The participants used Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) to rate a video-recorded exam from a surgical skills course at Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation (CAMES). The video rating was done through an internet-based platform and could thus be performed at home or at another location of choice. PARTICIPANTS: Novice and experienced surgeons from departments of gastrointestinal surgery, gynaecology, and urology in Denmark. RESULTS: There was no difference in OSATS rating score of the perceived female and male trainee (female trainee (n = 50):12.26 (SD = 3.08), male trainee (n = 57): 12.00 (SD = 3.28), p-value = 0.67). Rater characteristics: gender, age, surgical experience, and surgical specialty did not affect ratings. CONCLUSIONS: When OSATS a systematic assessment tool was used in rating surgical trainees we did not find any significant implicit gender bias. The rating was unaffected by the raters’ gender, age, surgical specialty, or experience.

KW - assessment

KW - gender-bias

KW - open surgical skills

KW - Surgical education

U2 - 10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.01.006

DO - 10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.01.006

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35115269

AN - SCOPUS:85123825699

VL - 79

SP - 753

EP - 760

JO - Journal of Surgical Education

JF - Journal of Surgical Education

SN - 1931-7204

IS - 3

ER -