An education theory-based method to teach a procedural skill.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of an education theory-based method to teach students to place and tie a simple interrupted stitch.


METHODS
A teaching intervention before-after trial.


METHODS
Dermatology department, academic university.


METHODS
Fourth-year medical students and dermatology residents.


METHODS
Scores on a 12-criterion grading instrument before and after instruction.


RESULTS
The scores for medical students and residents in each class showed significant improvement. The mean score for all participants (N = 23) rose by 24% after instruction (P< .001). Scores in 9 of the 12 graded performance areas improved significantly after instruction, including scores in tissue damage/teeth marks (P<.001), needle dulled/bent (P< .001), needle loaded properly and knots square (P = .01), throws done correctly (P = .01), stitch tension and needle entry/exit angle (P = .02), amount of suture used (P = .03), and correct number of throws (P = .04). In addition, participants' confidence increased significantly after instruction (P<.001). No difference was noted between men and women in preinstruction vs postinstruction score improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
This teaching method can be effectively used to teach students to place and tie a simple interrupted stitch. Once validated and expanded, it may prove useful in shortening and standardizing procedural skill training and in objectively documenting competency.
Wang
Timothy S
TS
Department of Dermatology, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0314, USA. timothyw@med.umich.edu <timothyw@med.umich.edu>
Schwartz
Jennifer L
JL
Karimipour
Darius J
DJ
Orringer
Jeffrey S
JS
Hamilton
Ted
T
Johnson
Timothy M
TM
D004501:Education, Medical; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013337:Students, Medical; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000193:education*; D013663:Teaching