203 Peer-to-Peer Surgical Suturing, an Initiative to Inspire the Next Generation of Surgeons?

Abstract Background Royal College of Surgeons defines the surgical knowledge students require. Studies suggest there is a lack of surgical skills teaching resulting in medical graduates not having the surgical competencies as per General Medical Council guidance. The benefits of early exposure to practical skills are well recognised but underutilised in medical students. Aim This study evaluated the effectiveness of peer-led surgical skills sessions organised by a university surgical society, focussing on students' confidence in surgical theory, knot tying, and suturing. Method The suturing sessions were conducted by trained medical students from a university surgical society, trained by consultants. Attendees were medical students with limited prior exposure to surgery and suturing. After each session, feedback forms with Likert scales were distributed to assess students' confidence in various aspects of surgical skills. Results Feedback forms from 27 participating students were analysed. Remarkably, 100% of students reported that the sessions met their learning objectives. The mean confidence in identifying surgical equipment increased from 3.6 (range 1-10) before the session to 8.4 (range 5-10) after the session. Similarly, students' confidence with suturing ability rose from a mean score of 2.7 (range 1-7) to 8.0 (range 5-10), and their confidence with surgical knot tying improved from a mean score of 2.9 (range 1-10) to 7.9 (range 4-10) after the session. Conclusions This initiative underscores the efficacy of peer-led-teaching in basic surgical skills to medical students. Future research may explore the integration of surgical training into the formal medical school curriculum, further enhancing students' surgical competencies and readiness for clinical practice.