title: Tutoring Trainees to Suture: An Alternative Method for Learning How to Suture and a Way to Compensate for a Lack of Suturing Cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tutoring in suturing was developed to compensate for a shortage of suturing cases. The objective of this study was to compare ideal suturing score (ISS; 9 points), suturing time (min:sec), and suture placement error (mm) between medical students completing the suturing tutoring program and medical students attending ordinary medical school training program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants consisted of 2 groups of medical students who had never performed suturing. The study group had the role of suturing tutor to teach interested high school students. The control group consisted of volunteers from the ordinary medical school program. Skills measurement was performed by having students from both the groups perform 3 vertical mattress sutures on a model. The study group was tested at weeks 1, 9, and 10 to assess improvement. Both the groups were tested at week 10 to compare final learning outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 41 and 40 participants in the study group and the control group, respectively. ISS was significantly improved in the study group from week 1-week 10 (7.0 ± 1.3 vs. 8.2 ± 0.9, p = 0.01). At week 10, the study group had a higher mean ISS than the control group (8.2 ± 0.9 vs. 7.8 ± 1.1, p = 0.68). Mean suturing time and mean placement error were also lower in the study group at the end of suturing training (5:1 ± 1:0 vs. 5:2 ± 1:2, p = 0.13; 7.4 ± 7.4 vs. 8.0 ± 10.8, p = 0.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tutoring trainees to suture can improve a student's ability to learn how to suture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: apinutme@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Apinut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wongkietkachorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Peera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rhunsiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pangpoom
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boonyawong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Attaporn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lawanprasert
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kasaya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tantiphlachiva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008611:Mentors; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000193:education*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013663:Teaching / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Medical Knowledge; Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Systems-Based Practice; medical student; suturing training; teaching; tutoring