Differing expectations for medical student role and evaluation on the surgical clerkship among educators and students

Satisfaction with the clerkship experience drives student interest in surgical careers. Student dissatisfaction may stem from unclear expectations. We examined differences in expectations for medical student role and evaluation of the surgical clerkship between educators and students.

A survey was completed by surgeons, residents, and students at a single medical school. Using 12 criteria based on national competencies, participants selected the three most and least important criteria for medical student role and evaluation during the surgical clerkship. Distribution of importance rankings were compared between groups using Wilcoxon rank sum tests.

There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of rankings for medical student role between educators and students in 6 of 12 criteria. Differences in criteria selected as most important included clinical reasoning (47% educators vs 21% students, p < 0.001) and procedural skills (5% educators vs 21% students, p < 0.001). For medical student evaluation, students more frequently selected being likeable as the most important criteria compared to educators (54% vs 8%, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis comparing attendings and residents also showed statistically significant differences in the distribution of rankings for medical student role in 7 of 12 criteria, including clinical reasoning, medical knowledge, and patient care.

We found substantial differences in expectations for medical students on the surgical clerkship between educators and students across multiple core competencies. Considerable disagreement was also found between attendings and residents. Understanding how and why expectations differ between attendings, residents, and students is essential for cultivating positive clerkship experiences and interest in surgery.