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Comparative Study
. 2006 Feb;49(1):46-50.

Undergraduate surgical training: variations in program objectives and curriculum implementation across Canada

Shawn S Forbes  1 , Peter G Fitzgerald, Daniel W Birch
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Undergraduate surgical training: variations in program objectives and curriculum implementation across Canada

Shawn S Forbes et al. Can J Surg. 2006 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

Background: Although nationally recognized learning objectives for undergraduate surgical education exist, the extent to which Canadian medical schools follow these guidelines has never been established.

Methods: We distributed a survey to all program directors and clinical-teaching-unit coordinators for undergraduate surgery at Canada's 16 medical schools, and subsequently assessed the perceived emphasis placed on learning objectives and student performance, and the impact of instructional tools and teaching locations.

Results: Program directors in 15 medical schools responded to the survey. We identified a wide variation in the emphasis placed on basic learning objectives as well as specialty specific learning objectives. The length of rotations, methods of instruction and tools used to grade student performance also varied widely.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest significant variation in the design and implementation of undergraduate surgical education in Canada. This study may serve as a basis for reassessing learning objectives in Canadian undergraduate surgical education.

Contexte: Même s'il existe des objectifs d'apprentissage nationaux reconnus pour la formation de premier cycle en chirurgie, on n'a jamais établi dans quelle mesure les facultés de médecine du Canada suivent ces lignes directrices.

Méthodes: Nous avons distribué un sondage à tous les directeurs de programme et coordonnateurs d'unités d'enseignement clinique en chirurgie du premier cycle aux 16 facultés de médecine du Canada et nous avons évalué par la suite l'importance perçue accordée aux objectifs d'apprentissage et aux résultats des étudiants, ainsi qu'à l'impact des moyens et des lieux d'enseignement.

Résultats: Les directeurs de programme de 15 facultés de médecine ont répondu au sondage. Nous avons déterminé que l'importance accordée aux objectifs d'apprentissage fondamentaux et spécifiques à une spécialité variait énormément. La durée des stages, les méthodes d'enseignement et les outils utilisés pour évaluer le rendement des étudiants ont aussi varié considérablement.

Conclusions: Nos résultats indiquent une variation importante au niveau de la conception et de la mise en œuvre de la formation en chirurgie de premier cycle au Canada. Cette étude peut servir de base pour réévaluer les objectifs d'apprentissage de la formation en chirurgie de premier cycle au Canada.

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Figures

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FIG. 1. Perceived program emphasis (shaded columns) and student performance (white columns) on the principles of surgery taught in Canadian surgery clerkships (Likert scale anchors: for emphasis: 1 — no emphasis, 3 — moderate emphasis, 5 — large emphasis; for student performance: 1 — do poorly, 3 — become proficient, 5 — excel).
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FIG. 2. Perceived program emphasis (shaded columns) and student performance (white columns) on the basic surgical skills taught in Canadian surgery clerkships (Likert scale anchors for emphasis: 1 — no emphasis, 3 — moderate emphasis, 5 — large emphasis; for student performance: 1 — do poorly, 3 — become proficient, 5 — excel). ABG = arterial blood gas measurement, CV = central venous, FNA = fine needle aspiration, I&D = incision and drainage, IV = intravenous, NG = nasogastric.
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FIG. 3. The perceived utilization (shaded columns) and effectiveness (white columns) of various methods of instruction for undergraduate surgery in Canadian surgery clerkships (Likert scale anchors for emphasis: 1 — never, 3 — occasionally, 5 — often; for student performance: 1 — do not learn, 3 — usually effective, 5 — extremely effective).
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FIG. 4. The perceived utilization (shaded columns) and effectiveness (white columns) of various teaching locations for undergraduate surgery in Canadian surgery clerkships (Likert scale anchors for emphasis: 1 — never, 3 — occasionally, 5 — often; for student performance: 1 — do not learn, 3 — usually effective, 5 — extremely effective).
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References

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