[Organize teaching in the surgical rotation -What practical experience do students starting the final year clerkship...

The surgical rotation during the final year of medical school (practical year, PJ) is intended to equip all medical students with essential elements of surgical practice; however, little is known about the practical surgery-related experience students have prior to starting this rotation.

The aim of this study is to systematically assess the practical prior experience of medical students at the beginning of the surgical rotation in the PJ.

Prior experience was recorded using the concept of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA). Medical students in the surgical rotation at the Charité and its teaching hospitals documented their experience in a mandatory e‑portfolio. This portfolio is based on 10 EPAs and 20 procedures defined by the National Competence-based Catalogue of Learning Objectives (NKLM 2.0). The analysis focused on the level of independence with which students had already performed these EPAs and procedures before starting their first rotation.

Data from 516 students between May 2023 and May 2025 were included. Overall, there was a high individual variability in students' practical experience across the different EPAs and procedures. A substantial proportion of students reported little or no prior experience with 7 of the 10 EPAs and 9 of the 20 procedures.

Students begin their surgical rotation in the PJ with varying levels of practical experience. A structured assessment of individual experience based on the EPA framework makes it possible to clearly identify competency levels, to tailor task assignments and supervision and develop personalized learning plans. In the long term this can contribute to more practice-oriented surgical teaching during the PJ and prepare students better for future medical practice, thereby also increasing interest in specialist training in surgery.