Medical student mattering: the effect of educational interventions on the surgery clerkship

Mattering is a psychosocial construct in which a person feels valued with domains including awareness, reliance, and importance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of educational interventions in the surgical clerkship on medical students’ sense of mattering.

From June 2020 to January 2022, educational interventions that focused on mattering were implemented among third-year medical students, staff, and faculty. These interventions included Grand Rounds presentations to medical students, residents, fellows, APPs, and attendings, mattering workshops conducted with surgical residents, and emails sent to surgical sites with students’ names and photos. The effect of the interventions was assessed with anonymous evaluations completed by third-year medical students at the end of their surgical rotation. Data were divided into three blocks to evaluate the effects over time. Statistical analysis was carried out with ordinal and generalized logistic regression models.

683 responses were received. Students felt their contributions would be missed when absent less frequently in Block 2 compared to Block 1 (OR 0.56, p < 0.023). When comparing rotation sites, students were addressed by name more frequently by attending surgeons at Community Hospitals (OR 4.0, p < 0.001; OR 4.3, p < 0.05; OR 3.3, p < 0.011) compared to the Academic Hospitals. Students more frequently reported the undivided attention of the team during rounds on Community (OR 2.9, p < 0.005) and Pediatric Surgery (OR 5.2 p < 0.006) rotations compared to Orthopedic and Plastic Surgery. Residents more frequently addressed students by name and introduced them to patients than attending staff (OR 0.36, p < 0.003; OR 0.35, p < 0.001).

After focused educational interventions, there was no significant change in mattering over time. Medical student mattering differed at the various rotation sites, as well as among residents and attending surgeons. This provides future areas of research to target in improving mattering.