STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF SKILLS ACQUISITION DURING THE SURGICAL CLERKSHIP - DIFFERENCES ACROSS ACADEMIC QUARTERS AND DEVIATIONS FROM FACULTY EXPECTATION

Background: Individual and experiential factors, as well as the timing of the surgical clerkship, may influence knowledge and/or skills acqu isition. Purpose: To examine differences across academic quarters in s tudent perceptions of skills acquisition; differences between student perceptions and faculty expectations; and the association between perc eptions and grades, student evaluations of the program, and their own career interests. Methods: Each of 61 students evaluated postclerkship acquisition of 33 procedural and 12 clinical skills. Each of 14 facul ty surgeons indicated expectations for skills acquisition. Results: Fa culty expectations were significantly higher (p <. 01) than first quar ter (121) student perceptions for most skills. 121 student perceptions were significantly lower than those of third quarter (Q3) students fo r most skills. Perceptions of skills acquisition were associated with preclinical desire for a surgical career, number of procedures perform ed, number of workups completed, and clinical grade. Conclusion: Stude nt perceptions of skills acquisition vary with the timing of the clerk ship and reflect an interaction between individual and experiential fa ctors, suggesting a need for increased standardization.