Abstract
Purpose
McGill University's Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program is a two-week immersive surgery program for first-year medical students designed to provide early exposure to the field of surgery. The program allows students to observe experienced surgeons and residents in the operating room and clinic, attend subspecialty talks, and participate in workshops that provide diverse hands-on experiences. This inquiry constructs a debriefing framework for pre-clerkship students upon experiencing their first surgical exposure.
Methods
A multi-phase facilitator-guided post-event debriefing was led based on evidence-based medical education debriefing principles and the CanMEDS framework, which identifies essential physician roles. The “Promoting Excellence and Reflective Learning in Simulation” (PEARLS) framework was used during the debriefing to help guide discussion and contribute to experiential learning. The debrief was conducted within an academic surgical department comprising three large hospital centers. Twenty-two first-year McGill medical students enrolled in the SEAD program were selected based on a written entry describing their motivations for enrollment.
Results
The debriefing session facilitated reflection on students' experiences, allowing them to share how their perceptions evolved throughout the program. Participants also discussed their engagement with each CanMEDS role during the program. This reflective process enabled students to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities and challenges associated with surgical practice and better grasp the roles and responsibilities of a surgeon.
Conclusions
The proposed debriefing framework offers a structured and meaningful approach for students to process their experiences and help prepare for their future careers. Future research is recommended to validate debriefing strategies in undergraduate surgical education.
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This project is not funded. No conflicts of interests are present to declare.
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Moussa, S., Subasri, M., Fakih, M. et al. Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD): perspectives on student-led debriefs in undergraduate surgical education. Global Surg Educ 3, 7 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44186-023-00207-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44186-023-00207-4