Holding the Knife on Perceptions of Surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Student Perception

Background:

• Negative stereotypes about surgeons and operating room culture deter medical students from surgical subspecialties.
• Pervasive perceptions include long hours, poor work-life balance, pessimism, and cynicism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of peer-teaching on medical student perception of surgery.
• To improve student preparedness and success in the surgery clerkship.
• To address the hidden curriculum in surgical education.

Main Methods:

• A pre- and post-survey was administered to 143 third-year clerkship students.
• Peer-teaching sessions were incorporated prior to the surgery clerkship.
• The study was conducted at an academic medical center with pre-clinical medical students.

Main Results:

• Students reported significant improvements in identifying surgical anatomy (p < 0.001).
• Confidence increased in answering attending physician questions and identifying anatomical abnormalities (all p < 0.001).
• Perceptions of surgeons as teachers and their support for students pursuing surgery significantly improved.

Conclusions:

• An immersive orientation, including peer-teaching, positively impacts the medical student learning experience and confidence.
• Efforts to introduce students to surgeons and surgical careers pre-clerkship are crucial.
• Addressing the hidden curriculum can mitigate negative perceptions of surgical fields.