Download PDF
Semin Plast Surg 2022; 36(02): 113-119
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1749153
Review Article

Medical Students' Knowledge of Plastic Surgery as a Reflection of the Public Perception

Dafna Shilo Yaacobi
1   Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Rabin Medical Center—Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
,
Tal Shachar
2   Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
,
Alex Lvovsky
3   Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Israel
,
Avi Cohen
1   Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Rabin Medical Center—Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
,
Dean D. Ad-El
1   Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Rabin Medical Center—Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
,
Asaf Olshinka   *
1   Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Rabin Medical Center—Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
4   Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
,
Andrew E. Grush
5   Division of Plastic Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
6   Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas
,
Eric Barel   *
1   Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Rabin Medical Center—Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
› Author Affiliations Funding None declared.
› Further Information
Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Plastic surgery is a broad field that requires a mixed skillset. Therefore, it is important that students be exposed to all its various subspecialties to make informed career decisions and to properly refer patients in different clinical situations. A nationwide survey was conducted of Israeli medical students to investigate their knowledge and perceptions regarding the field of plastic surgery and its subspecialties, and the impact of a clinical rotation in plastic surgery on these factors. A total of 300 subjects responded. Approximately, 61% of the cohort was female and 70% were enrolled in a 6-year program. About one-third stated that their field of interest was surgical rather than medical. Significant variability was noted in the accuracy of responses to questions about different procedures encompassed in the scope of plastic surgery. Although 90% of the students were aware of some common plastic surgery procedures that are also often thought to be well known to the public, only 50% were able to correctly identify lesser-known surgeries performed by plastic surgeons. Knowledge about plastic surgery was unrelated to an interest in the field. We recommend adjusting preclinical instruction and clinical rotations in plastic surgery to better prepare students to select a specialty best suited to their future goals, as well as to improve their ability to refer patients to other specialists as necessary.

Keywords

medical students' perceptions - plastic surgery - career decision - patient referrals - direct exposure.

* These authors contributed equally to this manuscript.




Publication History

Article published online:
02 June 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

  • References

  • 1 Kling RE, Nayar HS, Harhay MO. et al. The scope of plastic surgery according to 2434 allopathic medical students in the United States. Plast Reconstr Surg 2014; 133 (04) 947-956
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Reghunathan M, Segal RM, Reid CM, Gosman AA. The plastic surgery learning module: improving plastic surgery education for medical students. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2021; 9 (12) e3980
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Agarwal JP, Mendenhall SD, Moran LA, Hopkins PN. Medical student perceptions of the scope of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Ann Plast Surg 2013; 70 (03) 343-349
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Kim DC, Kim S, Mitra A. Perceptions and misconceptions of the plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Ann Plast Surg 1997; 38 (04) 426-430
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Denadai R, Raposo-Amaral C. Undergraduate plastic surgery education: problems, challenges, and proposals. Ann Med Health Sci Res 2014; 4 (09, Suppl 3): S169-S170
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 DeAngelis CD. The influence of money on medical science. JAMA 2006; 296 (08) 996-998
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Montemurro P, Porcnik A, Hedén P, Otte M. The influence of social media and easily accessible online information on the aesthetic plastic surgery practice: literature review and our own experience. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2015; 39 (02) 270-277
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Spiers HVM, Zargaran A, Murtaza AN, Thomas A, Turki MAA, Ali F. Enhancing medical curricula: the role of a 1-day plastic surgery course as an educational adjunct for medical students. J Surg Educ 2018; 75 (01) 116-121
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Burd A, Chiu T, McNaught C. Plastic surgery in the undergraduate curriculum: the importance of considering students' perceptions. Br J Plast Surg 2004; 57 (08) 773-779
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Khare N, Puri V. Education in plastic surgery: are we headed in the right direction?. Indian J Plast Surg 2014; 47 (01) 109-115
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Wade RG, Clarke EL, Leinster S, Figus A. Plastic surgery in the undergraduate curriculum: a nationwide survey of students, senior lecturers and consultant plastic surgeons in the UK. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2013; 66 (06) 878-880
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Morani AD. Art in medical education: especially plastic surgery. Aesthetic Plast Surg 1992; 16 (03) 213-218
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Davis CR, O'Donoghue JM, McPhail J, Green AR. How to improve plastic surgery knowledge, skills and career interest in undergraduates in one day. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2010; 63 (10) 1677-1681
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Mason J, Androshchuk V, Morgan H. Re: Davis et al. How to improve plastic surgery knowledge, skills and career interest in undergraduates in one day. JPRAS 2010:63;1677-1681. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2011; 64 (03) e87
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Farid M, Vaughan R, Thomas S. Plastic surgery inclusion in the undergraduate medical curriculum: perception, challenges, and career choice—a comparative study. Plast Surg Int 2017; 2017: 9458741
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Hamid S, McNeillis B, Saeed N. Knowledge of final-year medical students about oral and maxillofacial surgery: a two-centre study. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2018; 56 (07) 582-585
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Khatib M, Soukup B, Boughton O, Amin K, Davis CR, Evans DM. Plastic surgery undergraduate training: how a single local event can inspire and educate medical students. Ann Plast Surg 2015; 75 (02) 208-212
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Levi B, Borow M. [How many physicians are actively practicing medicine in Israel? On the differences between various methods of measurement]. Harefuah 2018; 157 (09) 595-598
    PubMedGoogle Scholar