• Melina C Vassiliou and Liane S Feldman.
• McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, L9-518, Montreal, QC, H3G 1A4 Canada. melina.vassiliou@mcgill.ca
• Surg Oncol. 2011 Sep 1; 20 (3): 140-5.

AbstractHistorically, surgical competence has been evaluated subjectively. Fundamental changes in surgical technology and training have focused attention on the use of objective measurement of performance to improve patient safety and reduce errors. Surgical performance can be measured using a variety of tools, both in the clinical and simulated environments. Objective assessments can play a role in training by improving the evaluation and feedback. At the end of training or when a new skill is acquired, objective assessments may be used to ensure that a proficiency level has been reached and potentially as a condition for independent practice. When assessments are used for high-stakes evaluations like certification, they must be demonstrably reliable and valid. The definition of assessment, and the necessary components of a valid instrument, will be summarized. An overview of practical applications of objective assessment as it applies to training, selection, and certification of surgeons will be presented.Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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