Vascular surgery: What increases the flow of students to the speciality?

Abstract

Objectives Vascular surgery is in increasing demand due to the higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease in the general population. Meanwhile, applications to join the speciality have been in decline in the last few years. St George’s Surgical Society held a one-day conference to expose undergraduates to the speciality in the hope that this will inspire more undergraduates to pursue it as a career. Methods The conference consisted of introductory lectures delivered by a consultant vascular surgeon, followed by practical skills workshops simulating aortic anastomosis on porcine aortas. Pre-course and post-course questionnaires assessed positive and negative perceptions of vascular surgery, knowledge of and self-reported confidence in practical surgical skills and utility of the course in their decision to potentially pursue a career in vascular surgery. Results There was a significant increase of 27% ( p = 0.03) in the positive perception that vascular surgery includes a diverse range of procedures and subspecialties. Attendees reported a 27% significant increase ( p = 0.02) in the perception that vascular surgery had a wide array of opportunity for academic/research work. Finally, there was an 18% decrease ( p = 0.03) in the negative perception that vascular surgery is somehow female-unfriendly or discriminatory against females. There was also a significant rise in both interest (33%) and understanding (73%) of vascular surgery. Conclusions A one-day conference can significantly impact students’ perception especially when there is a lack of exposure within the undergraduate curriculum. This course helped to increase positive perception and dispute negative misconceptions about the speciality. The simulation workshops held at this conference increased students’ confidence and awareness of relevant surgical skills. This conference provided a unique experience that positively impacted and inspired students and thus served as an important supplement to core medical curriculum.

Women in Surgery Events Alone do not Change Medical Student Perceptions of Gender Bias and Discrimination in Orthopaedic Surgery

“…To the authors knowledge there are currently no UK based studies focusing on medical student perspectives on orthopaedics or how these perspectives might be altered. One small UK study investigating factors increasing the flow of students to vascular surgery found a one day student surgical society conference attended by 36 students, resulted in a 18% decrease in the negative perception that vascular surgery is female-unfriendly and 33% increase in interest in vascular surgery ( 25 ). However, the gender of respondents was not available making these results hard to interpret in the context of improving female representation.…”

Grants and prizes SEACV/FSEACV 2020

“…La especialidad de angiología y cirugía vascular durante los estudios de Medicina posee un peso pequeño dentro de los programas de las diferentes facultades, lo que provoca que sea prácticamente desconocida para muchos de ellos. Esta diferencia entre la prevalencia de las enfermedades que trata la angiología y la cirugía vascular y el conocimiento básico impartido a los estudiantes de Medicina también se presenta en otros países de nuestro entorno (6). Así, en el Reino Unido también ha disminuido en los últimos años el interés por realizar la especialidad de vascular (7).…”

“…Este último parece ser el principal factor para la elección en la mayoría de los médicos que escogen la especialidad. La literatura apoya este concepto, y concluye que el principal determinante en la elección de la especialidad de cirugía vascular es haber estado "expuesto" durante la carrera de Medicina (6).…”

“…Además, se calcula que para el año 2025 el número total de especialistas será de 757, con una ratio de 1,7/100 000 habitantes, y un porcentaje de especialistas mayores de 49 años del 26,9% y de mujeres del 45,9% (11). Este porcentaje de especialistas mujeres es claramente superior al publicado en Estados Unidos (un 6% de los miembros de la Society for Vascular Surgery en 2013) (6).…”

“…Durante dicha jornada, asistieron 36 estudiantes de Medicina de varias universidades del Reino Unido. Sus contenidos fueron dos: dar a conocer la importancia de la cirugía vascular en el sistema nacional de salud y dar una visión de la vida del cirujano vascular (6). Dicha actividad incrementó el doble el interés en la especialidad (del 30% antes del curso al 97% de después).…”