A Mixed-Methods Needs Assessment for a Longitudinal Surgical Preparation Course in Undergraduate Medical Education

Abstract

To assess the unmet needs associated with surgical education and skill development during the pre-clerkship years of medical school. A mixed-methods design was employed that leveraged semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys followed by qualitative analysis. A large midwestern academic medical center. Eighteen participants were enrolled representing second year medical students with an interest in surgery, surgical residents, and attending surgeons from a diverse array of surgical specialties. Unanimous support for the creation of a pre-clerkship surgical skills course emerged due to 2 main themes: (1) gaps in current surgical education offerings and (2) the value of early exposure to surgery and surgical skills followed by longitudinal practice. The components that participants deemed essential to a well-designed course were also revealed. Each stakeholder group (medical students, residents, surgeons) would benefit across all factors uncovered. There is a significant unmet need across all stakeholder groups for the creation of a longitudinal surgical skills course for pre-clerkship medical students. Future studies should seek to design a curriculum based on these study results and assess a pilot version of the curriculum to understand its feasibility under application.