MEDICAL SURGERY (M ALAM, SECTION EDITOR) How to Assess Dermatology Resident Surgical Training: New Techniques Cindy Parra 1 & Ashley Decker 2 & Kira Minkis 2 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016 Abstract Dermatology surgery training is rapidly evolving with an ever increasing focus on resident procedural training. However, surgical training varies greatly between different residency programs. The ACGME requires dermatology training to ensure competency in the surgical treatment of skin disease. It is crucial that residents are provided with ample opportunities to hone their skills and with evaluative methods that are valid, reliable, and objective in order to identify po- tential resident weaknesses that can be addressed and im- proved upon to protect patient safety. Newer assessment methods used in other surgical subspecialties include the ob- jective structured assessment of technical skill (OSATS), sim- ulation, gaming, and learning assessments. Further studies are needed to evaluate these tools in dermatologic surgery to meet the need for developing objective and reliable assessment techniques as well as standardized surgical evaluation tools for dermatology residents. Keywords Procedural dermatology . Dermatology surgery . Milestones . Residenteducation . Simulation . Surgical skills . Evaluation . Learning style . ACGME Introduction The scope of training in dermatology residency is evolving from one that has primarily focused on medical and surgical training to encompass additional procedural training in cos- metics and laser and light energy devices [1]. With respect to Bprocedural dermatology,^ the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires dermatology training to be sufficient to ensure the knowledge and compe- tence in the performance of dermatologic surgery, cryosur- gery, cosmetic surgery, and lasers and light energy devices [2]. Most of the emphasis in procedural training is placed on dermatologic surgery, including local anesthesia techniques, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, nail surgery, excisional surgery, biopsy techniques, flaps, grafts, scar revisions, and layered closures [3]. Additionally, residents are required by the ACGME to have exposure to Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), hair restoration, sclerotherapy, laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and soft tissue augmentation. Residents may also have variable exposure and training in other procedures including dermabrasion and more advanced cosmetic proce- dures such as tumescent liposuction. Surgical training and exposure to the various facets of dermatologic surgery provided by each residency program may vary [1]. The ACGME, American Board of Mohs Surgery (ABMS), and American Board of Dermatology (ABD) expect that all dermatologists be competent in the surgical treatment of skin disease [1]. Yet despite formal accreditation expectations, recent reports have indicated that the quality and the amount of surgical and cosmetic training may vary among different residency programs [ 4•• ]. Dermatologists perform more office-based cutaneous sur- gery than any other specialty [5]. It is imperative that resi- dents are provided not only with ample opportunities to hone their surgical skills, but that these skills are assessed This article is part of the Topical Collection on Medical Surgery * Kira Minkis kim9036@med.cornell.edu Cindy Parra cip2001@med.cornell.edu Ashley Decker ashleybren4@gmail.com 1 Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY, USA 2 Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian, 1305 York Ave, New York,NY, USA Curr Derm Rep DOI 10.1007/s13671-016-0137-6