SurgPrep: successful implementation of a longitudinal surgical skills curriculum during the first year of medical school

Abstract Purpose Formal surgical skills development typically begins during residency or clinical rotations in medical school. However, the implementation of longitudinal surgical training throughout the preclinical years of medical school remains limited. SurgPrep, a longitudinal surgical preparation curriculum for first-year medical students, was designed and implemented to meet this gap. The purpose of this study was to assess the demand for this program, the feasibility of its implementation, and the program’s effectiveness. Methods 56 incoming first-year medical students at a large US medical school were recruited in August 2022 through an email application sent to all incoming students. Students participated in 10 sessions over one year focusing on skills and knowledge development through hands-on and didactic sessions including suturing, operating room basics, and other high-yield topics. Data collection included an application (over three successive class years, 2022–2024), retrospective pre-and post-session surveys, and a comprehensive knowledge/skills assessment at the culmination of the program. Results For the 2022–2024 cohorts, 34.0%, 46.4%, and 50.7% of each first-year class applied, respectively. The majority of applicants applied within 4 min of the application opening at 6:00 A.M. Surveys on perceived knowledge/skills demonstrated that in all 10 sessions assessed, applicants perceived significant improvements ( p < 0.001). For the objective surgical knowledge/skills assessment, first-year scores did not significantly differ from a control group of third-year students ( p = 0.96). Conclusions There is a gap in surgical skills exposure during the early years of medical school training. This study demonstrates that this gap is of interest and that there is high demand by students for surgical skills development earlier in medical training, reflecting a shift away from the traditional paradigm that formal surgical training begins during the clinical years of medical school or residency. Additionally, this study outlines a successful longitudinal curriculum that can be introduced during the preclinical years of medical school.