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RACS ASC 2026
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Structured suturing education improves self-reported confidence in medical students with surgical interest: and survey study.
Poster
Presentation Description

Institution: Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital - QLD, Australia

In November 2025, The University of Queensland Medical Society surgical skills team placed first in the Royal Australian College of Surgeons annual medical student suturing competition. Training sessions for 10 weeks prior involved theoretical and practical skills tutoring between 1- and 3-hours length. Class sizes were 8 students or less. Students were asked to complete a 12-question survey about their experiences in structured suturing teaching. The survey collected qualitative data on 5-point Likert scales from 1 (least confident) to 5 (most confident). The domains were self-reported proficiency in 3 suturing techniques, general suturing theory, self-reported suturing accuracy and efficiency. Responses were anonymous and voluntary. The ordinal results were then paired as pre- and post-course values. The median, interquartile range (IQR) and pre- to post-course delta were calculated. Of the 4 volunteer students who submitted responses, median confidence improved across all assessed domains after completion of the workshop with positive deltas of self-reported confidence. Highest improvement was reported in suturing efficiency (delta 2.0) paired with an IQR of 0.25 indicating consistency amongst the student group. A low IQR of 0.25 was also reported in suturing theory which registered a high improvement of delta = 1.5. The lowest median improvement was in simple and continuous suturing and suturing accuracy with improvement deltas of 1.0. Structured suturing education amongst surveyed medical students with an interest in surgery is shown to be beneficial to skill development across theoretical and practical domains in this survey study.
Presenters
Authors
Authors

Dr James Ryan -