Education, Medical, Sutures
Conditions
Brief summary
Evidence favours teaching procedural skills to medical students using a proficiency-based rather than time-based approach. Basic suturing skills can be taught through faculty-led, peer tutor-led, and computer augmented approaches. One method has yet to be identified as superior in terms of educational outcomes, resource utilization, and participant perspectives. Pre-clerkship medical students were randomized to: faculty, peer tutor, or computer augmented learning. Participants practiced suturing through their randomized method until they reached targeted proficiency defined using hand motion analysis (HMA). Proficiency was defined as a score of the average plus a standard deviation of five surgeons' HMA for two of three consecutive sutures using appropriate technique. The primary outcome was the number of stitches placed to achieve proficiency. The secondary outcomes were the number of sutures used, time, and costs incurred. Learning curves were constructed. Participants' perceptions were assessed using a follow-up survey.
Interventions
OTHERMethod of learning simple interrupted sutures with instrument tie
Students will train to proficiency (defined by hand motion analysis) on simple interrupted sutures with an instrument tie via one of three different methods: faculty-led, peer tutor-led, or computer augmented self-directed learning.
Sponsors
Queen's University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Second year, pre-clerkship medical students
Exclusion criteria
* None
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Number of stitched laid to reach proficiency | Five days |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Number of sutures used to reach proficiency | Five days |
| Minutes to reach proficiency | Five days |
| Individual costs to reach proficiency | Five days |
Other
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Learning curves | Five days |
| Student preferences | Five days |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed