Implementation of a Urologic Surgery Skills Fair for Medical Students

Abstract

To increase the proportion of applicants to urology residencies, we created a surgical skills fair to introduced urology early in undergraduate medical education. Funded by the Department of Urology, the fair was designed to have student rotations through 12 hands-on practice stations supervised by faculty and an advanced care practitioner or resident physicians. At conclusion, medical students completed a voluntary survey about their experience. Surgical skills fairs were organized at Yale School of Medicine (New Haven, CT) in 2022 and 2023. The fair was designed to encourage interaction between medical students, urology residents, and urology faculty by highlighting common urologic procedures and skills. The fair was well received by medical students at all levels of training. Over 2 years, 155 medical students attended, including 67 (43%) first-year and 60 (39%) second-year medical students. Eighty-two medical students completed the survey. An average of 19 attendings, advanced care practitioners and residents attended each event. Of the survey respondents, 42.7% reported prior interest in a surgical specialty but had not considered urology. Students reported increased interest in urology and greater confidence in urologic skills after the event (p < 0.001). We demonstrate that creating a surgical fair in urology is feasible and enhances early exposure and interest in urology. For students who do not pursue urology, the fair provides knowledge of urological pathologies and valuable skills for all physicians.