What We Learned from the Experience of an Introduction to Surgery Class for First Grade Premedical Students

Abstract

Purpose:In order to enhance the goal of premedical education, we developed new clinical educational course of surgery for first-grade premedical students. Methods:In 2015, from September 4 th to December 18 th , the educational performance records of firstgrade premedical students were evaluated, who attended the new, optional major class Introduction to surgery for future doctors. The non-compliance score was calculated as the sum of the total frequency of absences, number of late arrivals to class, and failure to submit the pre-lecture homework. This score was correlated with students' educational performance records. The premedical students' feed-back about this new class was summarized.Results: Among 79 first-grade premedical students at Yonsei University College of Medicine, 43 premedical students (54.4%) chose to attend the new class. Premedical students' individual noncompliance scores were inversely and significantly correlated to written test performance (R 2 =0.237, p=0.001). In survey analysis, the mean score for premedical students' course satisfaction was 8.6. They strongly suggested this new educational course should be continued for first-grade premedical students with a mean rating of 9.1. Premedical students were very impressed and satisfied by laparoscopic surgical simulation and visiting the operating room, with ratings of 9.7 and 9.3, respectively. Conclusion:This class is the first movement to introduce the surgery to the premedical students in Yonsei University. In spite of their scanty medical knowledge, this clinical class can provide positive influence on educational motivation as premedical students. Further modification of this class is mandatory based on what we learned from this educational experience. Keywords INtROduCtIONIn Korea, students who wish to become doctors must complete two years of premedical coursework followed by four years of medical courses. While the personal motivations to become doctors vary, it is believed that most students enter medical school to become doctors. It is also reasonable to believe that when premedical students begin their coursework they are excited and expect to anticipate learning basic medical sciences and enhancing their knowledge of the human body. Indeed, premedical students may be eager to jump into the pathophysiology of human diseases as well as learn how to perform physical examinations, make skin incisions, suture for primary repair, and so forth.However, contrary to these expectations, most first grade medical students must take a scheduled set of humanities, sci- Introduction of Surgery to Premedical Studentswww.e-jmis.org 35 ence, biology, physics, mathematics, and language courses. First-grade premedical students have already been exposed to a similar 'ready-scheduled' educational environment during the latter parts of high school. Certainly, these scheduled classes are very important and provide an excellent opportunity for premedical students to better understand the 'humanbeings' that they will treat as patients upon becoming do...