Assessing surgical competence: A challenge

[2] Objective structured assessments of technical skills (OSATS) was developed in the 1990s and involved assessment, the candidate performs a standardized surgical task (placing sutures in synthetic skin, joining the cut ends of bowel in a bench, or inserting a catheter) while being observed by at least two assessors. [3] Hand motion analysis either using the movements of hand attached trackers in an electromagnetic field and virtual reality techniques using simulators have been used in an attempt to standardize assessment.