title: Innovation in internship preparation: an operative anatomy course increases senior medical students' knowledge and confidence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An operative anatomy course was developed within the construct of a surgical internship preparatory curriculum. This course provided fourth-year medical students matching into a surgical residency the opportunity to perform intern-level procedures on cadavers under the guidance of surgical faculty members.
  
  
  METHODS
  Senior medical students performed intern-level procedures on cadavers with the assistance of faculty surgeons. Students' confidence, anxiety, and procedural knowledge were evaluated both preoperatively and postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative data were compared both collectively and based on individual procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Student confidence and procedural knowledge significantly increased and anxiety significantly decreased when preoperative and postoperative data were compared (P < .05). Students reported moderate to significant improvement in their ability to perform a variety of surgical tasks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The consistent improvement in confidence, knowledge, and anxiety justifies further development of an operative anatomy course, with future assessment of the impact on performance in surgical residency.
authors: University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, SPC 5343, Taubman Center TC2210D, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5343, USA.
authors: Nikki
authors: N
authors: Tocco
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Brunsvold
authors: Loay
authors: L
authors: Kabbani
authors: Jules
authors: J
authors: Lin
authors: Brent
authors: B
authors: Stansfield
authors: Dean
authors: D
authors: Mueller
authors: Rebecca M
authors: RM
authors: Minter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000193:education*
keywords: Internship; Medical students; Operative anatomy; Preparatory curricula; Surgical education; Surgical training