Students' Surgical Experiences in a Distributed Model of Clinical Education: A Mixed-Methods Sequential Case Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Higher Education Equity

Background:

• Ensuring equitable learning opportunities in surgical clerkships across multiple sites is a significant challenge in higher education.
• Variations in educational experiences can arise due to differences in regional medical campuses (RMCs) and clinical sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the comparability of student learning opportunities across different campuses and sites in a surgical clerkship.
• To identify factors influencing students' educational experiences during the surgical clerkship.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was employed, combining survey questionnaires with focus groups.
• Quantitative data from 92 students were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, while qualitative data from 7 participants in 2 focus groups underwent thematic inductive coding.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant differences in educational experiences were observed across sites, relating to roles, expectations, supervision, feedback, and team collaboration.
• Factors such as Site Features (organizational culture, volume, specialties), Health Professionals (engagement, team dynamics), and Personal Traits (self-directed learning) impacted students' roles and responsibilities.

Conclusions:

• Students reported differing educational experiences in the general surgery clerkship, highlighting the need for further investigation.
• Additional research across multiple medical schools is recommended to establish a common understanding of comparable surgical clerkship opportunities.