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OBJECTIVE To quantify the effect of a resident's reputation on the assessment of their laparoscopic skills. METHODS Faculty gynecologists were randomized to receive one of three hypothetical resident scenarios: a resident with high, average, or low surgical skills. All participants were then asked to view the same video of a resident performing a laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy that differed only by the resident description and provide an assessment using a modified OSATS (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills) and a global assessment scale. RESULTS From September 6, 2020, to October 20, 2020, a total of 43 faculty gynecologic surgeons were recruited to complete the study. Assessment scores on the modified OSATS (out of 20) and global assessment (out of 5) differed significantly according to resident description, where the high-performing resident scored highest (median scores of 15 and 4, respectively), followed by the average-performing resident (13 and 3), and finally, the low-performing resident (11 and 3) (P=.008 and .043, respectively). CONCLUSION Faculty assessment of residents in gynecologic surgery is influenced by the assessor's knowledge of the resident's past performance. This knowledge introduces bias that artificially increases scores given to those residents with favorable reputations and decreases scores given to those with reputed surgical skill deficits. These data quantify the effect of such bias in the assessment of residents in the workplace and serve as an impetus to explore systems-level interventions to mitigate bias.

Objectives To document evolution of a CC in the first year of the CBD curriculum Methods A process analysis of a CC in a large Ob/Gyn residency program for 2019-2020 Results Challenges and successes were identified that will inform residency program planning such as faculty development, the program of assessment and individualization of curricula. A developmental model was implemented assessing each resident quarterly: reviewing their exam scores: teaching scores: scholarly activity and clinical evaluations. CC processes became more efficient; reducing time to assess each trainee and providing a more nuanced view. CC challenges identified included: 1) collating large volumes of data from multiple assessment platforms 2) resource issues involved in processing this data 3) training committee members in accessing the data. Program challenges identified include 1) Need to educate clinical faculty to provide quality feedback 3) Tailoring rotations to address the needs of trainees requiring additional time to reach competence and rapidly progressing trainees; 3) academic coaching of residents with difficulties. Successes included : 1) Emergence of early identification of trainee deficits in both the Medical Expert and Intrinsic domains leading to earlier intervention/remediation 2) Ability to monitor progress of all residents 3) Improvements in quality/ quantity of faculty assessments. Conclusions The CC process will continue to evolve, working to meet challenges in order to create a comprehensive assessment of each resident. The CC has a large role to play in advising the Residency Program in the ways it can work to serve the department more effectively.

Objectives Residency is a high stress period in a physician's career attributable to, at minimum, long hours, sleep deprivation, lack of autonomy, and sometimes, a poor work environment. Despite increased awareness of the prevalence of resident burnout and its attributable causes, there is a dearth of actionable guidelines and standards for residency programs to mitigate the personal impact of stress during residency. The University of Toronto Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology developed a structured Resident Wellness Program in 2011 that includes a number of initiatives focusing on team support, personal relationships, and personal health. A formal evaluation of this program was conducted in order to guide future development of the program. Methods An anonymous 44-item questionnaire was developed and distributed to current and former residents. A total of 40 current and 17 past residents responded. Results 80% of current and 88% of past residents felt satisfied or very satisfied with the Wellness Program, and reported that the most useful components are wellness appointments, personal communication post-adverse event with a Wellness team member, and referrals to counselling services. Some barriers to accessing the Wellness Program persist. Conclusions Overall, the Wellness Program is well received, but opportunities for improvement exist. We propose a model for a Resident Wellness Program that can assist other programs to develop initiatives that promote and support resident wellbeing.

Objectives The Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Toronto mandates the completion of a resident research project. A thorough evaluation of the Resident Research Program is underway with the goal of improving the program, resident experiences and quality of research output. Methods A web-based survey of 71 current and 55 former residents was conducted. Surveyed information included prior research work, experiences working on a resident research project, research productivity in residency, and general attitudes about the research program. In addition, a bibliographic database was compiled for each resident, including publications and presentations. Results Forty current residents and 18 former residents responded. A total of 93 projects were ongoing or completed. Over half of our residents are involved in two or more projects and many spend 6 or more hours per week on their projects. Most respondents agreed that adding knowledge to the specialty is a motivator and having faculty who do research promotes scholarly activity. Major barriers included time constraints, lack of mentorship and lack of statistical knowledge. The most common project types were retrospective studies, and the fields of study represented all the major fields in the specialty. To date, 40% of respondents had published and 60% had presented their project. Conclusions Residents in our department are successfully engaged in research projects that lead to publication and presentation. The Research program is valued by most, but not all residents. These results will inform a redesign of our resident research program.