Learning Strategies Employed by Medical Students Working in the Field of General Surgery

Dr. Carlos Chacon
4 min readNov 17, 2022

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Students in medical school have a variety of options available to them in terms of how they might study the many medical procedures and methods that are presented to them during their education. Peer learning, narrative learning, and perception of patient education are a few examples of these different educational approaches. Students use these approaches to further their understanding of how to do General surgery in a safe and successful manner, as well as how to deliver the highest possible level of care to their patients.

The conventional medical education and training framework was significantly thrown off during the COVID-19 epidemic. Because of this, educational institutions were obliged to embrace creative and unconventional methods of educating and evaluating students. Among them are traditional classroom settings and online education. Learning in traditional classroom settings is less flexible and more expensive than learning through distant online education.

The act of connecting with other students is what is meant to be understood as “peer learning.” Learning via one’s peers has been linked to a wide range of successful institutional outcomes. Students can increase their communication skills, study skills, and problem-solving ability as a result of participating in this activity. Students are also encouraged to become more autonomous learners, another benefit of the activity.

The practice of learning from one’s peers is not only helpful for students but also has the potential to assist them in excelling in the medical field. It may assist them enhance their confidence in interacting with patients and their capacity to manage circumstances, and it can promote their integration into the ward environment. Additionally, it may assist students in becoming better at managing their time effectively.

We investigated the use of online peer learning in higher education institutions during the COVID-19 epidemic in the current research. A technique based on survey research was used to examine the students’ experiences. The following criteria were used to assess the answers of the students: whether or not they would continue with the newly planned MR experience, whether or not they obtained an enhanced comfort level with group facilitation, and whether or not they gained experience in peer accountability.

The writing abilities of medical students may be improved by using narrative medicine in medical education, which also helps students become more self-reflective. In addition to that, the form of learning that is being discussed here may be useful for multidisciplinary cooperation. Students may have an easier time understanding one another and developing better interpersonal ties with patients, their families, and the medical professionals who care for them. This could make it easier for patients to communicate with their healthcare providers and reduce patient suffering.

Medicine students have an essential role in shaping the healthcare system’s future. These students are an essential component of the medical community, even though they are often not accorded sufficient recognition for the function they play in ensuring the well-being of patients. As a result, we should actively seek to solicit their cooperation. Learning with peers’ assistance can accelerate the maturation of responsible doctors and patient safety ambassadors. It is also possible to use the power of storytelling in order to consolidate these learning experiences for the students.

Recent research investigated the potential advantages of incorporating narrative medicine into medical education. The case-based interactive surgical safety learning session lasted one hour and was employed in the research. A PowerPoint presentation, spoken narration, and a didactic section detailing learning goals were used to deliver it. It was altered to conform to the prevalent local practices about patient safety.

Errors during surgery are quite prevalent and often result in unfavorable outcomes for the individuals they affect. They result from making poor decisions and using tactics that are ineffective for resolving problems. Therefore, it is very necessary to ensure that surgical skills are established early in the medical training process. In addition, it is essential to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to spot and report problems in medical care.

The validity of many approaches used to enhance surgical theater situational awareness was the focus of this particular research endeavor. To accomplish this goal, an assessment of the capabilities of surgical teams was carried out.

The technical and non-technical abilities of surgical teams were considered and assessed. Videos and motion analysis equipment were used to do the evaluation of the technical abilities. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the non-technical abilities of the candidates. In addition, clinical specialists evaluated the abilities of two different surgeons.

According to the findings, there was a negative correlation between the team’s self-rated quality score and technical and non-technical abilities. The nursing staff had a far higher average score than the anesthesia team did.

It is essential to broaden people’s understanding of mistakes that might occur in health care and to foster a culture that promotes the prompt reporting of errors. Patients may suffer negative consequences due to these mistakes, which may include surgical site infections and bloodstream infections caused by catheters. An assessment of the relevant research also indicates that timely notification has the potential to reduce the likelihood of mistakes occurring again.

This study’s objective is to investigate the perspectives held by medical interns about the practice of disclosing medical mistakes to affected patients. For data collection, a questionnaire created by the researcher was employed. Several questions about the interns’ mentalities and intentions about ME disclosure were included in the questionnaire. In addition, there were two simulated scenarios designed to test students’ reactions in the event of a medical mistake.

According to the findings of this research, medical interns think that mistakes should be disclosed in order to minimize the likelihood of patients being harmed again in the future. They also feel that patients have a right to be informed about any mistakes that have been made. They are also of the opinion that the reporting of medical mistakes is necessary to preserve the honor of doctors.

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Dr. Carlos Chacon
Dr. Carlos Chacon

Written by Dr. Carlos Chacon

Dr. Carlos Chacon, MD, MBA, Founder of Divino Plastic Surgery.

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