ACS/ASE Medical Student Simulation-Based Skills Curriculum Study: Implementation Phase

Patient safety initiatives have revealed a need for standardized medical student skills curricula. In 2014 the America College of Surgeons/Association for Surgical Education Medical Student Simulation-based Skills Research Collaborative initiated a multisite study to implement and study the effect of a skills curriculum during the surgical clerkship.

Students underwent knot-tying and suturing sessions. They performed a self-evaluation survey before and after the modules to assess their comfort level with the skills. Faculty members also evaluated the students at the completion of the skills sessions. The comfort level choices were: needs further review; proficient in simulated setting with assistance; proficient in simulated setting without assistance; and proficient in clinical setting under supervision.

At the completion of the modules greater than 99.3% and 98.5% of students reported that they were proficient in knot-tying and suturing, respectively, in either a simulated or clinical environment. Similarly, when faculty evaluated student performance after a session, simulated or clinically proficiency reached over 97% for both two-handed and instrument knot-tying. The faculty rated the students 86.6% proficient for suturing.

After completing the modules, a large percentage of students obtained proficiency in knot-tying and suturing, representing technical skills improvements noted by both the participants and the evaluating faculty. The America College of Surgeons/Association for Surgical Education medical student surgical skills modules represent expert developed, low cost, easy to access resources that should continue to be evaluated and disseminated to medical student learners.