Background: The Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS) rubric provides a measure of skill in robotic surgery. We hypothesize surgery performed by more experienced operators will be associated with higher GEARS scores.
Method: Patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy from 2016 to 2020 were analyzed. Three groups were defined by time in practice: less than 5, between 5 and 15, and more than 15 years. Continuous variables were compared with ANOVA and multivariable regression was performed.
Results: Fourteen operators performing 154 cases were included. More experienced surgeons had higher GEARS scores and shorter operative times. On multivariable regression, operative time (P = 0.027), efficiency (P = .022), depth perception (P = 0.033), and bimanual dexterity (P = 0.047) were associated with experience.
Conclusions: In our video-based assessment (VBA) model, operative time and several GEARS subcomponent scores were associated with surgical experience. Further studies should determine the association between these metrics and surgical outcomes.
Keywords: robotics; surgical education; video-based assessment.