Self-assessment of Competence in Endoscopy: Challenges and Insights

Abstract

Abstract Background Endoscopists use self-assessment to monitor the development and maintenance of their skills. The accuracy of these self-assessments, which reflects how closely one’s own rating corresponds to an external rating, is unclear. Methods In this narrative review, we critically examine the current literature on self-assessment in gastrointestinal endoscopy with the aim of informing training and practice and identifying opportunities to improve the methodological rigor of future studies. Results In the seven included studies, the evidence regarding self-assessment accuracy was mixed. When stratified by experience level, however, novice endoscopists were least accurate in their self-assessments and tended to overestimate their performance. Studies examining the utility of video-based interventions using observation of expert benchmark performances show promise as a mechanism to improve self-assessment accuracy among novices. Conclusions Based on the results of this review, we highlight problematic areas, identify opportunities to improve the methodological rigor of future studies on endoscopic self-assessment and outline potential avenues for further exploration.