Letter Regarding: Surgery Interest Groups in Medical Schools: Mentoring Factory

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

We read with great interest the article recently published by Ofshteyn et al. 1 Ofshteyn A Bingmer K Tseng E et al. Effect of “residents as teachers” workshop on learner perception of trainee teaching skill. J Surg Res. 2021; 264: 418-424 Google Scholar titled “Effect of “Residents as Teachers” Workshop on Learner Perception of Trainee Teaching Skill”, where the authors investigated the educational skills of residents on medical students. 1 Ofshteyn A Bingmer K Tseng E et al. Effect of “residents as teachers” workshop on learner perception of trainee teaching skill. J Surg Res. 2021; 264: 418-424 Google Scholar Evidently, the authors, in attempting to promote teaching skills in future surgeons, are working on strengthening leadership. However, we consider that beyond leadership, mentoring should be developed, and in medicine specifically this process should start from the undergraduate level. We contemplate that surgical interest groups are the best strategy to empower medical students who aspire to become surgeons, to develop theoretical, practical, bioethical and educational skills, to be the best mentors in medical sciences. There is evidence that supports that these groups through workshops, seminars, research projects, among other activities, create an integral professional with the capacity to face difficulties such as those we are currently experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2 Vakayil V Chandrashekar M Hedberg J et al. An undergraduate surgery interest group: introducing premedical students to the practice of surgery. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2020; 11: 339-349 Google Scholar , 3 Hicks KE Doubova M Winter RM Seabrook C Brandys T. Surgical exploration and discovery program: early exposure to surgical subspecialties and its influence on student perceptions of a surgical career. J Surg Educ. 2019; 76: 1248-1257 Google Scholar , 4 Maiguel-Lapeira J Lozada-Martinez I Torres-Llinás D Moscote-Salazar LR Al-Dhahir M. Letter to the editor. Academic and research interest groups in neurosurgery: a smart strategy in times of COVID-19. J Neurosurg. 2021; ([online ahead of print]) Google Scholar because they actively relate to evidence, produce knowledge, are innovative and have the ability to work harmoniously as a team, learning to respect the roles among colleagues. 2 Vakayil V Chandrashekar M Hedberg J et al. An undergraduate surgery interest group: introducing premedical students to the practice of surgery. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2020; 11: 339-349 Google Scholar , 3 Hicks KE Doubova M Winter RM Seabrook C Brandys T. Surgical exploration and discovery program: early exposure to surgical subspecialties and its influence on student perceptions of a surgical career. J Surg Educ. 2019; 76: 1248-1257 Google Scholar , 4 Maiguel-Lapeira J Lozada-Martinez I Torres-Llinás D Moscote-Salazar LR Al-Dhahir M. Letter to the editor. Academic and research interest groups in neurosurgery: a smart strategy in times of COVID-19. J Neurosurg. 2021; ([online ahead of print]) Google Scholar