Education Outcomes from an Ophthalmology Microsurgery Course for Medical Students

Background: Microsurgery training programs are critical for developing the skills needed by ophthalmology residents, but they are not typically offered to medical students. However, incorporating a microsurgery course into medical school curricula may help students more carefully consider a career in ophthalmology and improve learning outcomes during their training. Purpose: This article describes a microsurgery course for medical students and evaluates its educational impact. Methods: A microsurgery course was developed and implemented for third (MS3) and fourth (MS4) year medical students at Duke University School of Medicine. The fourweek course included six didactic lectures, three hands-on skills sessions, and the use of a dissection microscope for home practice. Participant knowledge and suturing skills were measured at the course's beginning and end via a written assessment and a timed suturing challenge. Results were analyzed using SAS/STAT software. Results: Fifteen students participated in the microsurgery course, including eight MS3 and seven MS4 students. Participants showed significant improvements in microsurgical skills, measured by count, quality, and self-reported confidence during the suturing challenge. They also showed significant improvement in their knowledge of microsurgical techniques, as measured by written assessment scores. There was no significant difference between MS3 and MS4 students. Additionally, there was no correlation between final written assessment scores and the final number of sutures. Conclusion: Medical students participating in this microsurgical curriculum in its entirety improved their skills and knowledge, providing an example of how an affordable educational program can deepen instruction and engage future ophthalmologists even during their pre-residency medical training.