Changes in Medical Student Perceptions of Surgery Are Sustainable Through Focused Preclinical Surgical Exposure

Many medical students hold negative perceptions about the surgical field that deter them from pursuing surgical training. We hypothesize that these perceptions can be sustainably changed with preclinical surgical education.

Students were administered a 10-question survey before the educational experience, immediately after completing the experience, and 1-3 years later. Survey questions focused on perceptions about surgery. Changes in responses over time were measured and analyzed.

The study was performed in the setting of a voluntary preclinical surgical education experience.

Surveys were administered to 217 first-year medical students who all participated in the preclinical surgical education experience from 2017 to 2019. Follow-up surveys were administered to all cohorts simultaneously and anonymously via email.

Nine of the ten questions demonstrated statistically significant changes in perceptions from pre-experience to immediately post-experience (p < 0.048). Though attenuation was seen over time, changes in perception regarding the workload and time investment of surgical training, the role of women in surgery, and the relationships between surgeons and their patients were sustained over time (p < 0.044).

The results indicated that our model of surgical education could effect long-term changes in negative perceptions about the surgical field. Many of these negative perceptions are highly concerning to medical students. As such, success in changing perceptions about length and difficulty of training, gender inclusivity, and patient-centered care in surgery is important in increasing student interest in the surgical field. This becomes relevant in the current climate of a nationwide shortage of surgeons and the need to better attract students to this profession.