Priorities in surgical simulation research: What do the experts say?

INTRODUCTION: Progressing the field of surgical simulation research cohesively requires organization. The purpose of this study was to establish contemporary research priorities utilizing Delphi methodology.

METHODS: Surgical researchers with expertise in simulation-based research were invited to submit important questions for the field according to an organized framework. Thematic analysis was used to collapse questions into unique questions. In a second round, experts rated the importance of questions. In a third round, experts re-rated the importance of questions. A prioritized agenda was then created.

RESULTS: Eighteen experts submitted 80 questions in round one, which were collapsed into 43. In the final round, experts rated the following question as the most important priority: "Does demonstrated competency in the simulation lab translate to clinical competency (OR etc.)?"

CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic approach identified multiple important questions to advance the field that may guide researchers and funding agencies alike.