Satisfaction of Medical Students with Surgical Training: A Survey of Northern Italy

Background: Medical student satisfaction regarding the inclusion of surgical education into the medical curriculum may vary among learners. In this study, we analyzed the satisfaction of medical students in regard to how surgical topics were taught in Italian schools in 2021 through a survey. The results collected can be used to not only improve the quality of medical education in the future but to help students make informed decisions about their own education. Methods: An electronic survey was sent out to medical students in their third to sixth years across three medical schools in Northern Italy via their respective institutional secretaries. The questionnaire was available in Italian and English. It included both closed and open-ended questions regarding satisfaction with the teaching of surgical topics in Italian medical universities. Results: Results were reported following the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). Most respondents (87%) preferred to have an increase in surgery-related electives and/or extracurricular courses. Further, 51.2% of respondents expressed an increased interest in surgery after having observed in the Operating Room (OR). The majority of respondents (73.3%) also expressed that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had negatively impacted the quality of teaching of surgical topics. Conclusion: In the present survey study, Italian medical students preferred hands-on practice over theoretical lectures for surgical education. The majority of students stipulated that the inclusion of suturing, scrubbing, and good surgical practice workshops along with an increased OR attendance would facilitate a better understanding of surgery.