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Medical Student Experience and Learning Environment in the Ob/Gyn Operating Room

Objective: To survey medical student preparation to the operating room (OR) experience and student perception of the OR learning environment.

Study Design: A retrospective, post-clerkship survey was distributed to medical students who completed the Ob/Gyn clerkship at Stony Brook Medical Center from 7/1/2012-10/20/2013. Items reviewed included demographics, two OR learning objectives (OR staff roles and Foley insertion), and subjective experience regarding orientation, learning environment, and perceptions of unprofessional behavior.

Results: Of 21% students responding, 72% agreed they received adequate sterile and scrub technique training; 43% agreed they received orientation regarding their role in the OR. However, only 38% of students felt comfortable before entering the OR. Half understood the roles of the OR staff at the start (scrub tech 54%, circulating nurse 50%) compared to after (scrub tech 86%, circulating nurse 77%). 49% witnessed unprofessional behavior in the OR. 26% indicated they felt mistreated; sources being attending (26%), resident (26%), scrub tech (20%), and circulating nurse (14%). 31% of students felt ignored by the OR team and 26% witnessed a breach in OR protocol but felt uncomfortable reporting it to the team. Discomfort reporting a breach correlated with witnessing unprofessional behavior and feeling ignored (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Although a limited response, survey results suggest areas of improvement in student OR orientation: OR roles and expectations for behavior in the OR. Findings of perceived unprofessionalism indicate a need to improve the learning environment; a further detailed survey of students, surgeons and OR staff is ongoing.

Topics: 2014, Clerkship Director, Patient Care, Professionalism, UME, General Ob-Gyn,