Improving Procedural Confidence: Outcomes of a Surgical Skills Workshop for Medical Students

Introduction Introducing surgical skills early in medical training may enhance students’ confidence and readiness for clinical training. Simulation-based skill workshops provide students with a comfortable learning environment, resulting in effective learning. The goal of the Surgical Skills Workshop was to provide first- and second-year medical students with hands-on exposure to essential surgical skills. The educational impact on medical students' confidence in performing the respective surgical skills and changes in surgical career interest was assessed. Methods First- and second-year medical students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine participated in a hands-on surgical skills workshop comprising eight stations: endotracheal intubation, suturing, sterile scrubbing and gowning, Foley catheter placement, venipuncture, intrauterine device insertion, laparoscopic simulation, and nasogastric tube insertion. Participants rotated through stations in small groups with instruction from residents and attending physicians. Pre- and post-workshop surveys assessed confidence in the respective surgical skill using a five-point Likert scale, as well as interest in a surgical career. Statistical comparisons were performed, with P <0.01 considered significant. Results Fifty-one students completed the pre-workshop survey, and 46 completed the post-workshop survey, with a response rate of 90%. Self-reported confidence increased significantly across nearly all assessed procedural skills following the workshop (P<0.01). The largest gains were observed in skills typically unfamiliar to preclinical students, including sterile scrubbing and gowning, nasogastric and endotracheal tube placement, and laparoscopic instrument handling. Interest in pursuing a surgical career did not change significantly following the event, likely because participants demonstrated high baseline interest prior to participation. However, the survey aimed not only to assess changes in interest level, but also whether early hands-on exposure to surgical skills reinforced, clarified, or negatively impacted students’ perceptions of a surgical career. The absence of a decline in interest following realistic procedural exposure may suggest that the workshop helped consolidate pre-existing interest rather than substantially alter career intentions. Conclusions The Surgical Skills Workshop significantly improved preclinical medical students' perceived confidence across a broad range of surgical skills. While exposure to various surgical skills did not affect career interest, the simulation-based nature of the workshop fostered readiness for clinical clerkships. Future studies should incorporate objective performance measures to assess skill competence and broader student participation to better assess long-term career impacts.