Impact of COVID-19 on Confidence and Anxiety in Medical Students Related to Procedural Skills.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities for hands-on surgical and procedural skills training and practice were significantly reduced, as many curricular activities were deferred or converted to a virtual format. This study focused on whether these changes contributed to increased anxiety and decreased confidence for medical students performing these skills.

Methods: The Surgical Skills Technology Elective Program (SSTEP) is an annual five-day intensive procedural skills program after second-year medical school.

Caudal catheter placement for repeated epidural morphine doses after neonatal upper abdominal surgery.

Effective pain control after major surgery in neonates presents many challenges. Parenteral opioids (and co-analgesics) are often used but inadequate analgesia and oversedation are not uncommon. Although continuous thoracic epidural analgesia is highly effective and opioid-sparing, its associated risks and the need for staff with specialised skills and/or neonatal intensive care unit staff buy-in may preclude this option even in many academic centres.

The Surgical Skills and Technology Elective Program and Medical Student Career Choice.

Introduction: The Surgical Skills and Technology Elective Program (SSTEP) is a bootcamp for preclinical medical students that uses simulation learning methodology to provide exposure to procedural specialties and enhance surgical skills. Despite the widespread adoption of similar bootcamps, evidence is lacking regarding their impact on students' decision to pursue surgical/procedural careers.

Methods: This exploratory analysis consisted of a retrospective, cross-sectional assessment of SSTEP involving a survey examining engagement during clerkship rotations and career decision-making was sent to all SSTEP participants since the program's inception (n = 184).

The Next Surgical Skills and Technology Elective Program: The "Surgical Skills and Technology Elective Program" Decreases Cognitive Load During Suturing Tasks in Second Year Medical Students.

Objective: The Surgical Skills and Technology Elective Program (SSTEP) is a one-week, simulation-based procedural skills bootcamp for preclinical medical students. Using cognitive load (CL) as a useful framework for understanding simulation in medical education, our aims were to (1) examine the ability of SSTEP to decrease medical students' CL during procedural skills training and (2) determine the impact of SSTEP on secondary learning.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, twenty SSTEP participants and twenty controls were recruited.