Perception of plastic surgery among medical students

Abstract

Background: The misconception of plastic surgery as a purely aesthetic specialty is common among medical students, interns, and the general population. Therefore, this questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was aimed at assessing the perception of plastic surgery among medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia and Canada. This study aims to elicit a thorough grasp of the numerous pathologies addressed by plastic surgeons from medical students and interns. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2020, targeting medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia: Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdulaziz University (KAU), and Canada (McGill). Paper and online-based questionnaires were distributed among participants, featuring sixteen medical scenarios requiring participants to select the specialty that best fit each case. Nine of these scenarios were handled mainly by plastic surgeons. Results: All-inclusive, 729 students and interns answered the questionnaire. The fact that just three of the nine plastic surgery scenarios were accurately selected by the participants suggests that most medical students and interns need to understand the range of services that plastic surgeons can provide. Conclusion: This study concluded that there is an overlap between different surgical specialties in the field. Thus training initiatives and increased exposure to plastic surgery subspecialties throughout medical school and educational programs are needed to establish boundaries and dispel misconceptions about this specialty.