Field articulation testing: a predictor of technical skills in surgical residents.

The relationship between a specialized form of spatial ability known as "field articulation" and technical surgical skill was investigated. This form of spatial ability is operationally defined as the ability to differentiate a simple figure from a complex configurational surround. The relationship between Hidden Figures test scores and average ratings of technical surgical skill made by 17 academic surgical faculty members in two independent institutions was highly significant. Therefore, the use of this test to screen candidates for surgical residency, as well as to assess technical skill potential in junior residents, would appear to be based on valid statistical results.