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Florida Society of Anesthesiologists

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2019 FSA Posters

P072: ASSESSING THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF A ONE-WEEK PRECEPTORSHIP ON THE PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF MEDICAL STUDENTS TOWARD ANESTHESIOLOGY
Tyler D Craig, MD, Cynthia Wilson Garvan, PhD, MA, M. Anthony Cometa, MD; University of Florida College of Medicine

Introduction/Background: Preceptorships and shadowing experiences are opportunities for medical students to gain exposure to various specialties in medicine. In the pre-clinical years, these experiences can help students decide if they would like to pursue further clinical electives or possibly a career in a certain specialty1. In a previous study, one institution developed a month-long summer clinical rotation for students between their first and second year of medical school. Students who enrolled in the elective felt that they had a better grasp of an anesthesiologist’s role and where able to learn basic medical procedures2.

At the University of Florida, one-week preceptorships have been integrated into the preclinical years of the medical school curriculum. The Department of Anesthesiology offered a one-week preceptorship course to second year students. Unlike the month-long course mentioned in the study above, a one-week preceptorship week is not long enough to adequately cover the basics of anesthesiology; however, it may be enough time to pique students’ interests in pursuing further anesthesiology electives later and possibly a career in the field. We desired to assess the impact of the experience.

Methods: Eight students were enrolled in a one-week preceptorship course in the Fall of 2018. Students were asked to complete an anonymous online survey prior to the start of their preceptorship. The surveys consist of open-ended questions and then a series of Likert-scale questions to ascertain students’ perceptions of anesthesiology as well as their anticipated experiences during the rotation. At the conclusion of the course, a follow-up survey was sent with similar questions to evaluate how the course impacted their attitudes toward anesthesiology.

Results: Overall, students indicated that they had a favorable experience on the rotation and came away with a better understanding of what anesthesiologists did as well as the differences between the field’s various subspecialties. Students also reported that they had a better grasp of roles and expectations in the operating room. Finally, at least two of the students desired to learn more about anesthesiology after the experience.

Discussion/Conclusion: For medical schools with limited elective time in anesthesiology, using a one-week preceptorship may be a valuable career tool for students. The experience helped students feel more comfortable in the OR and gave them a glimpse into a field that many medical students are not exposed to until their fourth year of school. At least two of the participants expressed interest in pursuing anesthesiology in the future. A follow-up survey will be sent to students at six and twelve months to assess how their interests have changed and whether or not they registered for more elective anesthesiology courses.

References:

1.  Stagg P, Prideaux D, Greenhill J, Sweet L. Are medical students influenced by preceptors in making career choices, and if so how? A systematic review. Rural Remote Health. 2012;12:1832.

2.  Serafini M, Palmer E. An Innovative Model for Preclinical Exposure: West Virginia University Externship in Anesthesia. J Educ Perioper Med. 2013;15(1):E065-E065.

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