Undergraduate Anesthesia Skills for a Global Surgery Agenda: Students’ Self-Reported Competence

Abstract

(Anesth Analg. 2023. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000006375) To address the lack of clear guidelines for undergraduate anesthesia training, this study assessed the self-perceived competence of medical students in South Africa. Maternal mortality is a concern, with a significant portion of deaths attributed to anesthesia. The country faces a shortage of specialist anesthesiologists, putting the responsibility on nonspecialist medical officers, including newly qualified community service officers. The study investigates the readiness of medical students to provide anesthesia services, with varying exposure to training during internships. The findings aim to support South Africa’s health needs and may guide the goals of global surgery in other developing nations.