Training in General Surgery Ward Call: A Resident-Student Buddy System

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Limited literature exists on medical student experiences with after-hours hospital ward call.
• Medical students often lack ward call experience but are required to perform these duties as interns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a structured ward call shadowing experience on final-year medical students.
• To evaluate student familiarity with intern responsibilities during after-hours shifts.

Main Methods:

• A buddy system was implemented where final-year medical students shadowed general surgery residents during ward call shifts.
• Students completed pre- and post-experience surveys on attitudes and expectations regarding ward call.
• Nine students participated in a 4-hour evening shift at a tertiary teaching hospital.

Main Results:

• Familiarity with intern expectations on ward call significantly improved post-shadowing (3.1/5 to 4.1/5, p = 0.002).
• After-hours work experience was consistently rated as useful before and after the study (4.5/5 to 4.7/5, p = 0.47).
• Both students and residents unanimously found the experience beneficial.

Conclusions:

• After-hours ward call experience is beneficial for final-year medical students.
• Further research is needed to define the role of such experiences in medical training.
• Implementing shadowing programs can enhance preparedness for intern responsibilities.