Teaching and learning in day surgery units: a UK survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Healthcare Delivery Trends

Background:

• Increasing day case surgery offers new medical student learning opportunities.
• Reduced inpatient beds and hospital stays limit traditional surgical education.
• Outpatient, day case, and community settings are increasingly vital for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the extent and nature of undergraduate medical education in UK day surgery units.
• To identify current limitations in medical student exposure to day surgery settings.
• To advocate for the expanded role of day surgery units in medical training.

Main Methods:

• A postal questionnaire survey was conducted across UK day surgery units.
• Data collected focused on the involvement of medical students in teaching activities.
• Response rate from 227 units provided insights into current educational practices.

Main Results:

• 45% of surveyed day surgery units are utilized for medical student teaching.
• In teaching units, 83% of students attend only single operating lists.
• Only 7% of units accommodate students for more than one day weekly, indicating limited exposure.

Conclusions:

• Medical students currently receive very limited teaching within day surgery units.
• Educational programs need to evolve to incorporate essential learning in outpatient and day case settings.
• Day surgery units possess untapped potential to significantly contribute to medical education.