Development of a “Surgical Shadowing Scheme” to improve undergraduate experiences of surgery

PURPOSE: To establish a sustainable model for a “Surgical Shadowing Scheme” (SSS) and assess how this affects undergraduate attitudes to surgical careers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Surgeons at university teaching hospitals associated with UCL Medical School and UCL Partners, United Kingdom, were approached for their willingness to participate in the scheme. Medical students were then invited to apply for the scheme, where students were individually matched to operating theater sessions with surgeons in their specialty of choice. Feedback was subsequently obtained, evaluating experiences of the placement and the effect this had on future career aspirations. RESULTS: After running for four consecutive years, approximately 220 students have participated in the scheme across a range of surgical units and specialties. A total of 91.5% of the students were pre-clinical (years 1–3), whilst the remainder were clinical (years 4–6). Fifty-four percent were female and 46% male. Eighty-three percent of the students did not have any previous experience of the specialty that they shadowed, and 67% agreed that participating in the scheme had either “increased” or “strongly increased” their desire to pursue a surgical career. Ninety-four percent said they would “recommend” or “strongly recommend” the SSS to a peer. Over a third of students reported scrubbing-up during their placements and 35% of these directly assisted the lead surgeon. Traditionally male-dominated surgical sub-specialties recruited a high proportion of female students. CONCLUSION: This is the first published example of an established “Surgical Shadowing Scheme” for medical undergraduates. Our SSS has been highly valued by students and indicates that even a single high-quality surgical exposure is sufficient to increase the desire of undergraduates to pursue a surgical career. We hope that this SSS will act as a blueprint for other centers to develop their own shadowing schemes, in turn helping to ensure that surgery continues to inspire and attract the very best candidates for the future.