Mapping the landscape of cataract surgery teaching assessment in Canadian residency programs.

OBJECTIVE: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has mandated a shift in post-graduate residency education in Canada towards a competency-based model. Within this context, it is unclear how resident's competence in cataract surgery is currently being assessed for both formative and summative purposes. Therefore, we conducted a national survey to evaluate the current landscape of cataract surgery teaching in Canadian Ophthalmology programs. METHODS: The opportunity to participate in an online survey was extended to all Canadian ophthalmology program directors and residents. Between July and September 2017, data was collected on demographics (name of program, levels of training), current framework of assessment, and any other contexts for cataract surgery assessments being used (e.g., wetlabs or surgical simulators). RESULTS: We had a total of 32 responses including 7 program directors (22%), 14 senior residents (44%), and 10 junior residents (34%). The assessments used varied greatly; none of the residency programs used a published assessment tool for assessing skill in cataract surgery. The majority of programs (9 of 11; 82%) used locally-designed assessments and two programs (18%) did not use any standardized forms or tools. All schools were using a wet lab to augment surgical teaching and simulators were being used by 5 of 11 programs (45%). CONCLUSION: There are a variety of approaches being used to assess competence in cataract surgery. Many programs share some similarities, and a framework for designing assessment is suggested to guide future efforts at competency-based training and assessment.

Twelve tips for clinicians dealing with uncertainty when assessing learners.

Clinician educators often experience distress caused by uncertainty regarding how effectively to participate in assessment practices in a way that supports both their programs and their students. Uncertainty is a common state for clinicians, particularly for those who see patients with early or ill-defined illness presentations. While clinicians often feel ill at ease when facing uncertainty in the clinical realm, becoming comfortable with uncertainty and learning to manage such states are now recognized as vital components of clinical practice. Clinicians, as a result, have adopted a series of strategies to lessen the unease that uncertainty can create. While similar experiences plague clinician educators placed in assessment roles, much less attention has been given to how we can support individuals in the education setting. Here, the distress of uncertainty may be greater due to clinician educators having less experience with assessment practices. Fortunately, strategies that are effective in the clinical domain can be translated into the assessment realm to accommodate uncertainty when assessing learners. In this 12 tips article we offer guidance on the translation of such strategies.

The effects of temperature change on the hatching success and larval survival of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu.

In this study, the effects of abrupt temperature change on the hatching success and larval survival of eggs, yolk-sac larvae (YSL) and larvae above nest (LAN), for both largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu were quantified. Temperature had a significant effect on hatching success and time to 50% mortality, with large heat shocks causing accelerated mortality. The temperature changes shown to influence survival of all life stages, however, were beyond what is typically experienced in the wild. Micropterus salmoides had greater egg hatching success rates and increased survival rates at YSL and LAN stages, relative to M. dolomieu. Additionally, egg hatching success and survival of LAN varied across nests within the study. These findings suggest that temperature alone may not account for variations in year-class strength and may emphasize the need for protection of the nest-guarding male Micropterus spp. to ensure recruitment.