Abstract
Background
Plastic surgery, its broad range of procedures and scope, is as poorly understood
by medical students as among the public. Mass media generated misconceptions result
in plastic surgery being limited to cosmetic surgery in popular imagination, while
in reality plastic surgery also encompasses hand and microvascular surgery, craniofacial,
and burns among other domains. Correcting the perception of medical students is vital
to ensure timely and optimal care for patients needing referral to a plastic surgeon.
Objective
This article aims to study the awareness of plastic surgery among Bachelor of Medicine,
Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students.
Materials and Methods
A focus group discussion was conducted by the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive
surgery, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, for MBBS phase 4 students
who had chosen plastic surgery as an elective posting for 2 weeks, during which they
observed patient management at the operation theater, ward, and outpatient department.
They also participated in a suturing skills laboratory session. A Google Form pertaining
to the scope of plastic surgery was distributed among all years of MBBS students and
their responses were collected. The student's participation was informed, voluntary,
and confidential. Our study design was an online questionnaire after a focus group
discussion; data was collected over 4 weeks. We included the eight students who had
participated in the focus group discussion after completion of plastic surgery elective.
Incomplete responses were excluded.
Conclusion
There is a knowledge gap between perceptions of medical students and the realities
of the scope and domains under plastic surgery. Students stated that they would benefit
from a regular posting in their curriculum to enhance their understanding of plastic
surgery.
Keywords
plastic surgery - focus group discussion - survey - perceptions - medical students
