title: Review of a medical student-run surgery lecture series and skills lab curriculum.
abstract: Evidence suggests that early exposure to surgical techniques, surgical knowledge and mentors strongly correlates with students’ interest, knowledge and confidence in general surgery as a postgraduate career choice. Preclerkship exposure to surgery and implementation of a formal surgical curriculum is often restricted owing to attending surgeon time commitments and cost limitations. To promote earlier exposure to surgery, a group of senior medical students at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., developed and implemented a novel pilot program with a surgical lecture series and a surgical skills laboratory for preclerkship students. This commentary discusses the effectiveness of these initiatives.
authors.affiliation: McMaster Surgical Education and Research Group (MacSERG), Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
authors.forename: Jennifer Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.
authors.forename: Stephanie C Y
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: The Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Au
authors.affiliation: McMaster Surgical Education and Research Group (MacSERG), Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., and the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
authors.forename: Jen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoogenes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
authors.forename: Katy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: McMaster Surgical Education and Research Group (MacSERG), Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors; D009864:Ontario; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration