Medical students' perceptions and motivations prior to their surgery clerkship

Background: This study aims to determine the effect of a pre-clerkship workshop on medical students' perceptions of surgery and surgeons and to describe their concerns and learning goals.

Methods: Thirty-nine medical students completed surveys before and after a workshop preceding their surgery clerkship. Quantitative data and free responses that were inductively coded were used to assess effectiveness.

Results: Perceptions from 38 students (response rate = 97.4%) significantly improved for 11 of 21 items. At pre-workshop, the most frequently cited learning goals were improving technical skills (58%), surgical knowledge (53%), and understanding surgical culture and work (53%). Students' top concerns were meeting clerkship demands (68%) and being evaluated (55%). After the workshop, student learning objectives and concerns remained largely unchanged.

Conclusions: A pre-clerkship workshop improved student perceptions of surgery and surgeons. Understanding students' intrinsic motivations may facilitate future clerkship curriculum improvement via better alignment of educator and student goals and objectives.