The aim of this study is to demonstrate whether the implementation of standardized Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) suturing workshops can aid the attainment of a technically competent interrupted suturing technique by medical students.
The European University Cyprus (EUC) Division of Surgery and the students of the EUC Surgery Club compiled a standardized 1 hour and 15 minutes suturing workshop. During a one-week period 14 peer-teacher school of medicine students trained 147 fellow students. At the end of each workshop the students were assessed for the learning outcome of simple interrupted suturing with instruments by two peer-teachers, with the use of a standardized scoring rubric. The workshop primary outcomes were the rubric score and the time to complete a suture. These were correlated to student characteristics such as sex, year of studies, prior experience in suturing, previous participation in a similar workshop, previous training at home or in a hospital, and an interest in pursuing a surgical career. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed.
Statistical analysis showed that gender and previous suturing experience did not impact the rubric score of students, nor the time required. The student year of studies, having recently passed the course of General Surgery and having interest to pursue a surgical specialization positively affected the students' score.
Surgical peer teaching provided an effective method of teaching of the simple interrupted suturing technique. Interest in surgery, previous workshop experience and having recently completed the general surgery module helped students score higher in the assessment.
Keywords: Basic surgical skills; peer teaching; standardized workshop.