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Introduction: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of evaluating the short-term and long-term effectiveness of a surgery residency prep course throughout the intern year. Methods: The authors offered a surgery residency prep course to graduating medical students. We used an anonymous survey to assess the perceived confidence in medical knowledge, clinical skills and surgical skills pre-course, post-course, and at six months into residency. Participants also completed a pre- and post-course quiz. Results: Eleven students completed the course and participated in a pre-course survey, seven completed the post-course survey, and four completed the six month survey. Students felt significantly more confident for intern year following the course compared to before the course (4.0 vs. 2.7, p = 0.018). There was no significant change in perceived confidence at six months compared to post-course results (4.0 vs. 3.9, p = 0.197). Objectively, there was a significant improvement in postcourse quiz results compared to pre-course quiz results (12.9 vs. 10.6, p = 0.004). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a surgery prep course may have long-term positive effects on resident confidence when entering a surgery residency.
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INTRODUCTION: Physicians entering surgical residency often feel unprepared for tasks expected of them beginning July 1, including responding to pages, writing orders, doing procedures independently, and a multitude of other requirements. Our aim was to design a surgical boot camp to help graduating senior medical students feel more confident entering residency. METHODS: A two-week intensive surgery residency prep course was conducted in the spring of 2019 at an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited General Surgery residency program. The course was designed combining aspects from existing prep courses and innovative ideas tailored to resources available at our institution. Medical students participated in the Surgery Residency Prep Course as an elective at the end of their fourth year of medical school. An anonymous survey was given pre- and post-prep course completion evaluating confidence in medical knowledge, clinical skills, and surgical skills. Data were compared using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. RESULTS: Six students completed the course as a medical elective. Students felt more confident at course completion in most aspects, were significantly more confident in all areas of surgical skills taught and evaluated, and nearly all areas of medical knowledge. Subjectively, students felt as though the course was beneficial and helped them feel more prepared for starting internship. CONCLUSIONS: This course designed at our institution was successful in helping prepare and instill confidence in graduating medical students prior to starting their internship.
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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare factors that contribute to increased match rates into general surgery. DESIGN: Survey study. SETTING: University of Kansas School of Medicine Campuses. PARTICIPANTS: A survey assessing experiences and perceptions during their surgical clerkship was sent to graduating medical students from a single university with a hybrid (academic-affiliated community-based) campus, and an academic campus. Specific questions were asked with regard to residents and attendings, procedural experiences, perceived lifestyle, and general interest in surgery before and after clerkship. RESULTS: The match rate into general surgery was significantly higher on the hybrid campus (14.7% vs 4.0%, pâ¯=â¯0.215). Factors that were positively correlated with interest in surgery included interactions with attendings (0.86) and residents (0.63), time spent in the OR (0.77), participation in the OR (0.62), and complexity of cases (0.61). Students on the hybrid campus spent more weeks on general surgery services (6 vs 4, p < 0.001). More students from the hybrid campus were "Not interested at all" in surgery prior to their surgery clerkship (26.5% vs 16.0). Significantly more academic students indicated they were "Not interested at all" in surgery after their surgery clerkship (52.0 vs 17.6%), while more students on the hybrid campus indicated they were "extremely interested" (29.4 vs 12.0%, p = 0.005) after their surgery clerkship. CONCLUSION: The rate of students matching into general surgery between the 2 campuses are different, with the hybrid campus having nearly 4 times the rate of students matching into general surgery. Programs may be able to increase their match rate by allowing students more opportunities to participate in the operating room, spending more time on a general surgery service, and by ensuring that medical students are included as members of the surgical team.
