Sansosti Alexandra A, Jacobs Rachel C, Safonova Aleksandra, Jani Ronak H, Schumann Jack, Friedlander Robert M, Lunsford L Dade, McDowell Michael M, Sekula Raymond F
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2020 Oct 19;7:2382120520964852. doi: 10.1177/2382120520964852. eCollection 2020 Jan-Dec.
Medical student involvement opportunities and educational experiences with surgical residents during medical school have been shown to increase the chance of students deciding to specialize in surgical specialties. This study aims to determine the effect of a neurosurgery elective during the second preclinical year on student interest and opinion of neurosurgery.
Thirty-nine students completed opinion-based surveys and factual knowledge quizzes during a neurosurgical elective course over 3 iterations, which included lecture and skills lab instruction. Pre- and post-course surveys used the Likert scale, with a score of 1 corresponding to the most negative opinion and a score of 10 corresponding to the most positive opinion, in order to measure various aspects including interest in neurological surgery, understanding of the field, and perception of female inclusion in the field. Weekly pre- and post-lecture quizzes assessed practical knowledge of neurosurgical topics.
A higher percentage of students rated neurosurgery highly as a career possibility (⩾8/10 interest level) post-course (58.6%) compared to pre-course (45.7%). Post-course, students reported a significantly increased mean understanding of neurosurgery on the Likert scale compared to pre-course (6.1 ± 1.7 vs 4.4 ± 2.0; = .001). Knowledge based-content assessment revealed a significant increase in overall correct answers after lectures (mean = 3.85, mean = 5.05, = .001). Inclusion of female instructors in the second and third iteration of the course resulted in a significant increase in students' perception of female inclusion in the field of neurosurgery (7.6 compared to 5.6, = .01).
Early exposure to subspecialties may assist in making important career decisions. The implementation of this neurosurgical elective improved medical students' perception of the field and enhanced knowledge of the lectures and procedures. This study can be used as a framework for implementation of this curriculum at other institutions.
医学院期间医学生参与外科住院医师相关活动的机会和教育经历已被证明会增加学生选择外科专业的可能性。本研究旨在确定临床前第二年的神经外科选修课程对学生对神经外科的兴趣和看法的影响。
39名学生在神经外科选修课程的3次授课过程中完成了基于观点的调查和事实知识测验，课程包括讲座和技能实验室指导。课程前后的调查采用李克特量表，1分对应最负面的看法，10分对应最正面的看法，以衡量包括对神经外科的兴趣、对该领域的理解以及对该领域女性参与度的认知等各个方面。每周讲座前后的测验评估神经外科主题的实践知识。
与课程前（45.7%）相比，课程后更高比例的学生将神经外科评为高职业可能性（兴趣水平⩾8/10）（58.6%）。课程后，学生在李克特量表上报告的对神经外科的平均理解相比课程前显著增加（6.1±1.7对4.4±2.0；P = 0.001）。基于知识的内容评估显示讲座后总体正确答案显著增加（均值 = 3.85，均值 = 5.05，P = 0.001）。在课程的第二轮和第三轮中纳入女性教员导致学生对神经外科领域女性参与度的认知显著增加（从5.6增至7.6，P = 0.01）。
早期接触亚专业可能有助于做出重要的职业决策。该神经外科选修课程的实施改善了医学生对该领域的认知，并增强了对讲座和操作的知识。本研究可作为其他机构实施该课程的框架。
