Design: Survey based study

Setting: REDCap survey

Patients or Participants: Current U.S. MIGS Fellows and Program Directors/Assistant Program Directors were surveyed.

Interventions: A survey was distributed during the AAGL 2022 annual meeting regarding simulation training experience based on FMIGS milestones.

Measurements and Main Results: 38 individuals responded to the survey, including 12 (31.6%) first-year Fellows, 6 (15.8%) second-year fellows, and 20 (52.6%) Program Directors/Assistant Program Directors.

Eighty percent of respondents reported having no formal training in simulation. 97% have access to a simulation center at their facility, but only 32% have a formal simulation curriculum in their program. Psychomotor/surgical skills was the most common clinical competency covered (92%) while non-technical competencies (team training, interpersonal communication skills and critical thinking/decision-making skills) less so. Barriers to implementing a simulation curriculum included lack of time (65%), faculty (42%), training (35%), access to equipment (27%) and cost (27%).

66% felt having a formal FMIGS simulation curriculum at their program was imperative, while 29% thought it was at least somewhat important. 82% would participate in a national formal simulation curriculum if it were available. 79% thought the ideal frequency of simulation implementation should be once or twice per year.

Conclusion: Despite being perceived as important, the majority of FMIGS trainees and faculty do not have formal training in simulation. MIGS fellowship programs most commonly focus on technical rather than non-technical skills or simulation methodology. This study argues that more resources should be dedicated to curriculum development and implementation in MIGS fellow education through simulation.