Medical students' confidence in managing plastic surgery conditions: A cross-sectional survey

Plastic surgery is disproportionately under-represented in placements for the United Kingdom Foundation Programme and previous research has highlighted a deficiency in its inclusion in the undergraduate curriculum. A cross-sectional survey of medical students was performed regarding plastic surgery-related conditions. The survey aimed to assess their confidence in management and their perceptions of the utility of this knowledge in their future careers. The results from 308 participants spanning 17 medical schools revealed that in comparison to pneumonia, students were significantly less confident in assessing and treating all plastic surgery-related conditions including burns, skin cancer, hand injuries, lower limb trauma, and wound management. For all conditions, students felt that more exposure during foundation training would be beneficial to their future careers.