Plastic and reconstructive surgery - do our undergraduate medical students have adequate awareness about it? Can we do something to improve their exposure, knowledge and interest in it?

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess the awareness levels about plastic surgery among medical students and to formulate appropriate teaching modules for undergraduate students to introduce and educate them about various plastic surgical procedures.Methods: A questionnaire-based study was done to assess awareness about procedures done under plastic surgery among medical students from second through final year. Collected data were statistically analyzed. The results were used to propose changes in teaching modules to medical students.Results: There is not much awareness about plastic surgery as a specialty amongst medical students. Plastic surgery is mostly perceived as cosmetic surgery, and the other procedures done under plastic surgery is not associated with the speciality by the medical students. Of all the clinical conditions given to the participants, there was not a single clinical condition where the respondents favoured undisputedly for plastic surgeons.Conclusions: Plastic surgery as a specialty is poorly understood by our undergraduate medical students so authors conclude there is lack of awareness, knowledge and disposition about plastic surgical procedures among them. Based on the report’s authors have formulated teaching and practical modules like enrichment courses, value added education, co-curricular activities and introduction to social media platforms related to plastic surgery for creating better awareness and knowledge among undergraduate medical students about plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery in India: Where Are We Now?

“…According to a study done in a deemed university, it was found that undergraduate students are poorly exposed to the contents of plastic surgery. 5 A similar pattern may be seen among students from the United States. 6 The present undergraduate medical curriculum does not adequately expose students to super-specialty issues.…”

Plastic Surgery Teaching to United Kingdom Undergraduate Medical Students: A Systematic Review

“…It is also interesting to compare these results on a broader international scale. Studies show that lack of plastic surgery teaching to medical students is a global phenomenon, with a similar dearth in teaching to medial students also being reported in India, 27 Canada, 28 the United States, 29 and Saudi Arabia. 30 In India, as a result, the majority of plastic surgery teaching is delivered through general surgery teaching.…”