Medical students’ perceptions and motivations prior to their surgery clerkship

This study aims to determine the effect of a pre-clerkship workshop on medical students’ perceptions of surgery and surgeons and to describe their concerns and learning goals. Thirty-nine medical students completed surveys before and after a workshop preceding their surgery clerkship. Quantitative data and free responses that were inductively coded were used to assess effectiveness. Perceptions from 38 students (response rate = 97.4%) significantly improved for 11 of 21 items. At pre-workshop, the most frequently cited learning goals were improving technical skills (58%), surgical knowledge (53%), and understanding surgical culture and work (53%). Students’ top concerns were meeting clerkship demands (68%) and being evaluated (55%). After the workshop, student learning objectives and concerns remained largely unchanged. A pre-clerkship workshop improved student perceptions of surgery and surgeons. Understanding students’ intrinsic motivations may facilitate future clerkship curriculum improvement via better alignment of educator and student goals and objectives. •Medical students carry negative perceptions of surgery prior to their clerkships.•An introduction to surgery workshop can combat negative perceptions of surgery.•Students express particular surgical learning goals and concerns.•These learning goals and concerns remained stable before and after the workshop.