Designing Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) Test for Selective Skills of Orthopedic Residents and Evaluating Its Effects from Their Points of View

Introduction: Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) is a valuable method to evaluate procedural skills. The aim of this study was to develop a DOPS test for assessment of first- and second-year orthopedic residents and evaluate its effects on their learning.

Methods: Seven residents and nine faculty members of the orthopedic department of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences participated in this study. A questionnaire containing twelve closed and four open questions was used for assessment. The acquired data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation).

Results: The results showed that residents’ performances were almost good (mean of good performances = 50.6%), the participants’ performances increased in the second stage (from 50.6% to 59.4%) but this increasing performance decreased in the third stage (from 59.4% to 39%). Most faculty members and residents believed that DOPS tests can have an effective role in facilitating students’ learning and also can help them to succeed in their final test. Some of the residents believed that DOPS tests decrease their stress in the final exam. Promoting students’ procedural skills and independent learning are the pros and a stressful test experience is the con of this study.

Conclusion: According to results of this study, DOPS tests had an effective role in facilitating students’ learning and skills. Test repetition for the second time is sufficient and useful for evaluating residents’ clinical and instrumental skills.