APDS Consensus Statement: Ideal Senior Medical Student Experiences for Preparedness for General Surgery Internship.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training

Background:

• Optimizing senior medical student experiences is crucial for general surgery residency preparedness.
• Current rotations may not fully replicate the demands of a surgical internship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish optimal standards for senior medical student experiences in general surgery.
• To enhance preparedness for the demands of a surgical internship.

Main Methods:

• Development of a work product by a task force, approved by the Association of Program Directors in Surgery.
• Alignment of curricula with the Association of American Medical Colleges Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) and modified American Board of Surgery EPAs.

Main Results:

• General surgery rotations should mirror the intern learning and working environment.
• Experiences must include night/holiday/weekend shifts, critical care, and preparatory curriculum for technical and nontechnical skills.

Conclusions:

• Simulated intern experiences guide informed decisions on residency entrustability and identify students with surgical aptitude.
• Curricula should focus on Core EPAs and essential surgical components, with opportunities for mentorship and subspecialty exposure.