Senior Medical Student Surgery Capstone Course

Catalog description

This course is designed for graduating medical students that have applied to or matched a surgical residency (general surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, urology, plastic surgery, and ENT) to provide them with an advanced cognitive knowledge base and experience with procedural skills frequently required of surgical interns. Additionally, this course will allow students to gain invaluable experience with interdisciplinary professionalism and case-based problem solving. Curriculum includes didactic lectures, case-based and small group learning sessions, simulation based procedural instruction and practice, as well as standardized patient encounters. Upon completion of the course students will have better knowledge of surgical patient care, be able to proficiently perform surgical skills frequently required of surgical residents, and have improved confidence in their preparation for surgical residency. A pre- and post-survey will focus on participants' confidence in specific procedural skills and common on-call surgical problems. Pre- and post-exams will also be given to measure student's knowledge on peri-operative patient care and complications. Grading will be Pass-Fail. Additionally, students that complete the skills sessions and pass skill proficiency exams may receive a letter addressed to their residency program director from the course directors to attest to their proficiency of the skills taught in this course.