Basic Surgical Skills Course: Evaluation of a Structured Peer-Teaching Program to Improve Competence, Confidence, and Career Motivation in Medical Students

All articles of this category (opens in new window) Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured surgical skills lab with peer-teaching in improving basic surgical skills, confidence, and motivation for a surgical career among medical students. Methods: In a prospective controlled intervention study at the University of Hamburg, medical students participated in a 3-month basic surgical course with weekly sessions. The course included five standardized exercises on a training board: (1) single interrupted suture, (2) rice tracking (transferring grains along a predefined path), (3) continuous suture, (4) weaving, and (5) surgical knot tying. Performance (time and quality) was assessed at the beginning and end of the course. Questionnaires on demographics, prior surgical experience, interest, and motivation were completed at both time points. A follow-up survey 6 to 12 months after the course evaluated perceived course value. Exercise completion times were compared to baseline and to cardiovascular surgery residents using student’s t -tests. Results: Of 158 students participating, 42 enrolled in the study, and 17 completed at least ten sessions. The mean age was 22.4 ± 5.0 years, 70.6% were female, and 29.4% had prior surgical experience. Interest in surgery remained high throughout the course (5-point Likert scale; pre: 4.3 ± 1.0, post: 4.6 ± 0.5; p = 0.136), while confidence in using the training board increased significantly from 1.8 ± 0.8 to 4.4 ± 0.5 ( p < 0.001). Students completed all exercises significantly faster at the end of the course compared to baseline (all p < 0.001); for example, continuous suture time decreased from 182.5 ± 45.2 to 85.7 ± 20.3 s. Compared to cardiovascular surgery residents ( n = 6; mean age 27.8 ± 1.3 years; 66.7% male), students completed all tasks significantly faster (all p < 0.05): single interrupted suture 17.0 ± 4.1 vs. 34.5 ± 10.4 s, rice tracking 15.0 ± 3.7 vs. 35.8 ± 11.8 s, continuous suture 85.7 ± 20.3 vs. 173.7 ± 48.0 s, weaving 38.3 ± 11.4 vs. 80.3 ± 21.1 s, and surgical knot tying 6.4 ± 1.8 vs. 9.7 ± 7.6 s. The course received high ratings, with a mean score of 4.5 ± 0.5 on a 5-point Likert scale. Conclusion: Students completing the structured peer-teaching course achieved significantly better results than residents, demonstrating a substantial training effect. The course offers an effective, evidence-based approach to improve surgical skills, increase confidence, and maintain a high interest in a surgical career. Publication History Article published online: 17 February 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany