Surgical Training Enhancement for Medical Students

Overseen By Richard Hsu, MD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Wayne State University

Disqualifiers: Prior surgical course, Schedule conflicts, Non-English speakers

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if the Surgical Operating Room Enhancement Curriculum can improve medical students' skills in gynecologic surgeries at Wayne State University. It compares students in the enhanced course with those in the standard program to assess improvements in understanding and handling surgical procedures. The trial targets students in their OBGYN clinical rotation who can attend all virtual lectures. Participants will complete surveys before and after the course to measure changes in their knowledge and skills. As an unphased study, this trial provides students with a unique opportunity to enhance their surgical skills and knowledge in a supportive learning environment.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It focuses on educational training for medical students, so it's unlikely that your medications would be affected.

What prior data suggests that this curriculum is safe for medical students?

Research has shown that a structured plan in the operating room can enhance the safety perception among medical staff. Specifically, studies have found that surgical teams using a detailed safety checklist experience fewer complications during surgery. This suggests that structured educational programs, like the Surgical Operating Room Enhancement Curriculum, are likely safe for participants.

This curriculum aims to improve the knowledge and skills of medical students in surgical settings. It includes online lectures on topics such as anatomy and handling emergencies in gynecologic surgery. As an educational tool, the curriculum poses no direct health risks to participants. Instead, it seeks to make learning safer and more effective. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Surgical Operating Room Enhancement Curriculum because it offers a comprehensive, hands-on approach to training medical students in gynecologic surgery, unlike the standard curriculum. This new curriculum includes didactic lectures by gynecology-trained physicians and covers critical aspects like preoperative evaluation, surgical techniques, and postoperative care, which are not emphasized in the traditional training. By actively engaging students in these specialized topics and offering practical skills training, researchers hope to enhance their knowledge, proficiency, and confidence in handling gynecologic surgeries.

What evidence suggests that the Surgical Operating Room Enhancement Curriculum is effective for improving gynecologic surgical skills?

Research has shown that improving surgical training for medical students can greatly enhance their skills and confidence in the operating room (OR). In this trial, participants in the "Surgical Operating Room Enrichment Course" arm will receive enhanced training, including didactic lectures and hands-on skills training. One study found that students who attended an OR skills training workshop felt more confident and capable in performing surgical tasks. Another study highlighted the advantages of simulation training, which helps connect classroom learning with real-life surgery experiences. Overall, these improvements to the medical curriculum have led to better preparation and satisfaction among students. This suggests that adding more surgical training, as in the enrichment course, could effectively improve knowledge and skill in gynecologic surgery techniques. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for medical students at Wayne State University who are interested in improving their knowledge and skills in gynecologic surgery. Students must voluntarily choose to participate and will have their responses de-identified to protect privacy.

Inclusion Criteria

Medical students currently enrolled in the Wayne State University OBGYN clinical rotation (5-week block)

Willingness to voluntarily participate in surveys and training sessions

I can attend all required lectures.

Exclusion Criteria

Inability to participate in virtual sessions due to conflicting clinical/academic schedules

I have completed a specialized surgical training course.

I am not fluent in English.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Intervention

Participants attend virtual didactic lectures and complete pre- and post-training surveys

5 weeks

Virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in knowledge, proficiency, and clinical perceptions

1-2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Surgical Operating Room Enhancement Curriculum

Trial Overview The study tests if an enhanced Surgical Operating Room Enrichment Course can better equip medical students with knowledge and comfort in gynecologic surgical procedures compared to the standard rotation. It includes virtual lectures, perioperative care, surgical techniques, and emergency management.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Surgical Operating Room Enrichment Course Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will receive the enhanced Surgical Operating Room (OR) Enrichment Course as part of their medical student curriculum. This intervention includes both didactic lectures led by gynecology-trained physicians. The curriculum covers preoperative evaluation, perioperative complication prevention, gynecologic anatomy, surgical techniques, gynecologic emergencies, operative decision-making, postoperative care, and OR tasks and procedures. Participants will complete pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess changes in knowledge, proficiency, and clinical perceptions related to gynecologic surger

Group II: Standard Curriculum (Control) Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will follow the standard medical student curriculum for the gynecology rotation, without the additional enrichment course. At the end of their rotation, they will complete a questionnaire assessing their baseline knowledge and perceptions of gynecologic surgery. No additional didactic or hands-on surgical skills training beyond the standard curriculum will be provided to this group

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Wayne State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

318

Recruited

111,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11869931/

Enhancing Operating Room Skills and Confidence Among ... This study investigates the impact of an OR skills training workshop, led by students and supervised by OR staff, on third-year medical students' confidence ...

2. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/298886/surgical-operating-room-enhancement-curriculum-for-medical-students/

Surgical Operating Room Enhancement Curriculum for ... The goal of this clinical trial is to assess whether integrating an enhanced Surgical Operating Room (OR) curriculum into the medical student ...

3. ijms.info ijms.info/IJMS/article/download/184/541?inline=1?inline=1

Enhancing the Student Surgical Learning Experience In this issue, Okonkwo et al., have discussed areas of improvement for the undergraduate medical curriculum that are needed to promote the next generation of ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S193172041300038X

How can we Enhance Undergraduate Medical Training in ... Overall satisfaction of OR teaching is reasonable and many benefits are derived from attending the OR. However, bad experiences are common and this is ...

5. aoao.org aoao.org/2025/03/21/surgical-simulation-training-in-medical-education/

Surgical Simulation Training in Medical Education | AOAO This study highlights simulation training as a potential solution to bridge the gap between the didactic and clinical years of medicine for aspiring surgeons.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11637733/

Enhancing Surgical Outcomes: Evaluating the Impact of ... Research has shown that following the surgical safety checklist provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) can significantly reduce these complications.

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3606357/

Operating room data management: improving efficiency and ... This project aimed to develop a data recording system of the surgical process of every patient within the operating theatre.

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022480415007076

Surgical resident education in patient safety: where can we ... With an enhanced safety curriculum, perioperative staff demonstrated higher perceptions of safety compared with residents who participated in an online-only ...

9. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23320249251340789

The Role of Surgical Nurses in Enhancing Outcomes Background: Designing an operating room (OR) that supports optimal surgical outcomes requires prioritizing patient and employee safety.

10. medrxiv.org medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.06.24318304v1.full-text

Quality Improvement (QI) Project: Enhancing Surgical ... Baseline measurements in October 2023 showed a utilization rate of 53% and a completion rate of 65%.