The Significance of Elective Specialty Posting in Improving Awareness of Plastic Surgery among Medical Students in India: A Survey

Abstract Plastic surgery, its broad range of procedures and scope, is as poorly understood by medical students as among the public. Mass media generated misconceptions result in plastic surgery being limited to cosmetic surgery in popular imagination, while in reality plastic surgery also encompasses hand and microvascular surgery, craniofacial, and burns among other domains. Correcting the perception of medical students is vital to ensure timely and optimal care for patients needing referral to a plastic surgeon. This article aims to study the awareness of plastic surgery among Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students. A focus group discussion was conducted by the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, for MBBS phase 4 students who had chosen plastic surgery as an elective posting for 2 weeks, during which they observed patient management at the operation theater, ward, and outpatient department. They also participated in a suturing skills laboratory session. A Google Form pertaining to the scope of plastic surgery was distributed among all years of MBBS students and their responses were collected. The student's participation was informed, voluntary, and confidential. Our study design was an online questionnaire after a focus group discussion; data was collected over 4 weeks. We included the eight students who had participated in the focus group discussion after completion of plastic surgery elective. Incomplete responses were excluded. There is a knowledge gap between perceptions of medical students and the realities of the scope and domains under plastic surgery. Students stated that they would benefit from a regular posting in their curriculum to enhance their understanding of plastic surgery.