Table 3.
Impact of various surgical skill teaching methods and their assessment on undergraduate learning
| Study | Sample | Measure of intervention | Preintervention score | Postintervention score | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical skills day | |||||
| Lee et al. (2020)12 | 29 medical students | Assessment of suturing skills by UK surgeons at various stages of training | Mean competency score 1.8(0.33) | Mean competency score 5.72(0.17) | P < 0.001 |
| Kuo et al. (2022)14 | 58 medical students | Impact of skills day on the perceived confidence in performing skill and preparedness for future practice | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Significant increase in confidence in performing all GMC recommended surgical skills (P = 0.0001), preparedness for clinical placements (P = 0.0001) and work as a junior doctor (P = 0.01) |
| Spiers et al. (2018)15 | 27 medical students | Impact of perceived confidence in performing basic plastic surgical skills | Suturing: 2.68/5, tying knots: 2.32/5, local flap transposition: 2.14/5, importance of (flap) geometry: 2.55/5, tendon repair: 2.05/5 | Suturing: 4.00/5, tying knots: 3.68/5, local flap transposition: 3.82/5, importance of (flap) geometry: 4.14/5, tendon repair: 4.05/5 | Not disclosed |
| Spiers et al. (2019)16 | 36 medical students | Confidence in performing tracheostomies | 1.26/5 | 4.43/5 | P < 0.0001 |
| Simulation for learning | |||||
| Mughal et al. (2015)18 | 66 medical students across 6 UK medical schools | Confidence, self-perceived competence and knowledge before, immediately following and 8 weeks after the workshop | Mean confidence in assessing an unwell surgical patient: 2.5/5, mean confidence in commencing initial management: 2.7/5, MCQ mean score: 57.9%, assessing the acute surgical patient: 2.5/5, ordering investigations: 2.9/5, initiating management: 2.7/5 | Mean confidence in assessing an unwell surgical patient: 4.4/5, mean confidence in commencing initial management: 4.1/5, MCQ mean score: 70.9%, MCQ mean score at 8 weeks postcourse: 69%, assessing the acute surgical patient: 4.4/5, ordering investigations: 4.2/5, initiating management: 4.1/5 | MCQ mean score: P < 0.0001 MCQ mean score at 8 weeks postcourse: P = 0.0039 All 12 tested surgical domains: P < 0.0001 |
| Down et al. (2020)19 | 14 medical students | Perceived confidence in performing surgical skills | Not disclosed | Handling instruments +0.65, interrupted suturing +0.9, continuous suturing +1.45, subcuticular suturing +1.33, knot tying +1.22, excision and closure +1.59, bowel anastomosis +2.28, tendon repair +1.78, artery ligation +1.33 |
Handling instruments P < 0.001, interrupted suturing P < 0.001, continuous suturing P < 0.001, subcuticular suturing P < 0.0001, knot tying P < 0.05, excision and closure P < 0.0001, bowel anastomosis P < 0.0001, tendon repair P < 0.01, artery ligation P < 0.05 |
| Chidambaram et al. (2019)20 | 21 medical students in the intervention group and 17 medical students in the control group | Comparison of written information and simulation training for performing surgical procedures | Mean cognitive performance score, control group: 24.7 | Mean cognitive performance score, intervention group: 41.9 | Not significant P > 0.05 |
| Near-peer learning | |||||
| Bennett et al. (2018)21 | 70 medical students | Confidence levels in performing 8 surgical domains | Not disclosed | WHO surgical safety checklist: +3.94, scrubbing: +2.99, gowning/gloving: +3.34, knot tying: +5.53, interrupted sutures: +5.89, continuous sutures: +6.53, vertical mattress sutures: +6.46, local anaesthesia: +3.73 | P < 0.05 for knot tying, interrupted sutures, continuous sutures and vertical mattress suture |
| Preece et al. (2015)22 | 35 medical students | Number of sutures completed | 2.3(1.6) | 5.3(1.7) | P < 0.001 |
Values are mean(s.d.) unless otherwise indicated. GMC, General Medical Council; MCQ, multiple choice question.