Basic suture techniques for medicine students: comparative results according to training by surgeons versus peers

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Skills Training

Background:

• Assessing the effectiveness of different instructional methods in medical training is crucial for optimizing surgical skill acquisition.
• Peer-led instruction is an emerging model in medical education, offering potential benefits in cost-effectiveness and scalability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the acquisition of basic suturing skills in medical students taught by specialist surgeons versus trained peers.
• To evaluate student satisfaction with different teaching modalities in a practical suturing workshop.

Main Methods:

• A pre-experimental, before-and-after study involving 46 medical students.
• Participants were randomized into two groups: one trained by specialist surgeons, the other by trained peer tutors (suture monitors).
• Technical skills in continuous and interrupted suturing were assessed using The Objective Structured Assessment Of Technical Skills (OSATS) on a biological model.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed significant improvement in OSATS scores post-workshop (p < 0.001).
• Surgeon-trained group: 13.0 (pre) vs. 26.0 (post). Peer-trained group: 16.8 (pre) vs. 28.0 (post).
• No significant difference in post-workshop skill scores between the two teaching groups.

Conclusions:

• Medical students gain fundamental suturing proficiency through practical training, with comparable outcomes regardless of instructor type.
• Both surgeon-led and peer-led training methods yield significant skill progression and similar levels of participant satisfaction.
• Peer-led instruction presents a viable and effective alternative for teaching basic surgical skills in medical education.