Student-selected components in surgery: providing practical experience and increasing student confidence

Abstract

A surgical SSC has been successful in increasing student confidence in performing practical skills required for commencing work as a doctor. Provision of dedicated SSCs is likely to influence the career choice of students.

Trends of Surgical Career Selection Among Medical Students and Graduates: A Global Perspective

“…36, * Introduction of SSCs to develop practical skills, to expose to surgical specialties, and integration into surgical teams. 37 , † Variation seen among the National Residency Matching Program match rates (2006-2010) of United States senior medical students for general surgery categorical positions is shown in Fig. 2.…”

“…36 †SSCs in surgery, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). 37 ‡Surgical Education and Training (SET), the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). 38 personal interests and choose a specialty that allows them to relocate to countries with superior training programs and/or desirable lifestyle options.…”

Impact of a pre-clinical skills course with Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) on preparedness and confidence levels of medical students in Africa

“…[11][12][13][14][15][16] Falk et al specifically documented improved confidence in clinical skills of students preparing for surgical internships and though not taught initially, suturing was the skill most appreciated by students as the program developed into a full-year course. Improved student confidence influenced academic progression, clinical procedural standardization, and development of a more culturally sensitive curriculum.…”

“…Improved student confidence influenced academic progression, clinical procedural standardization, and development of a more culturally sensitive curriculum. 13 The medical students found transitional support between the preclinical and clinical training areas. Ultimately, those confident students who became peer educators invested their time to sustain the pre-clinical skills program, despite increasing numbers of junior students and decreasing resources.…”

Revolutionizing Volunteer Interpreter Services: An Evaluation of an Innovative Medical Interpreter Education Program

“…5,13 Other studies have corroborated the impact of mentoring in increasing students' confidence in their skills and understanding of their field of study. 25 Qualitative data did reveal that the language-specific mentorship provided by professional interpreters throughout the program was an invaluable counterpart to the didactic instruction. Importantly, shadowing real patient encounters also allowed students to see the limitations of medical interpretation theory first-hand and gain insight into practical applications of the various roles of an interpreter.…”