The Plastic Surgery Learning Module: Improving Plastic Surgery Education for Medical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Medical students often have limited exposure to plastic surgery.
• Lack of dedicated residency programs exacerbates this educational gap.
• Media misrepresentations can distort the public's understanding of plastic surgery's scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and validate a plastic surgery learning module for medical students.
• To correct misconceptions about plastic surgery.
• To enhance students' capability in making appropriate surgical referrals.

Main Methods:

• A plastic surgery learning module was developed using Articulate Storyline 360.
• Pre- and postmodule surveys were administered to medical students via Qualtrics.
• Module completion time averaged 66 minutes, with usability testing informing revisions.

Main Results:

• Sixty-five students completed the efficacy testing across all medical school years.
• Students showed significant improvement in referral accuracy for pediatric/craniofacial, reconstruction/microsurgery, and hand/upper extremity procedures.
• Premodule knowledge of hand and breast/cosmetic referrals correlated with prior plastic surgery exposure.

Conclusions:

• The plastic surgery learning module is a promising educational tool.
• It offers a comprehensive, affordable, and time-efficient method for learning plastic surgery principles.
• The module effectively equips students with essential referral-making skills.