First-year surgical trainees were recruited in their first month of the training program. Experts were invited to set the proficiency level. The subjects performed hand knot tying on a bench model. The skill was assessed at baseline in the first month of training and at 5 months. The assessment tools were the Patriot electromagnetic tracking system and Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS). The trainees’ scores were compared to the proficiency score. The data were analyzed using paired
A total of 14 first-year trainees participated in this study. The time taken to complete the task and the path length (PL) were significantly shorter (p = 0.007 and p = 0.0085, respectively) at 5 months. OSATS scoring showed a significant improvement (p = 0.0004). There was a significant correlation between PL and OSATS at baseline (
The parameters from the Patriot motion tracker demonstrated a significant correlation with the classical observational assessment tool and were capable of highlighting the skill retention in surgical trainees. Therefore, the automated scoring system has a significant role in the surgical training curriculum as an adjunct to the available assessment tool.