A model to teach trauma care to medical students

Abstract

The following integrated trauma teaching model has been developed in response to perceived deficiencies of organized trauma content in many undergraduate surgical programmes. This method has combined structured teaching and clinical clerkship. First, a short lecture is given to the student body giving an overview of the subject. Small groups then rotate through a series of teaching stations, each structured to represent a different level in the hierarchy of management priorities involved in the care of a trauma patient. The educational value of a 150 minute teaching session was evaluated by comparing group performance in a pre-test given several days before with a post-test immediately after teaching. Forty one Year IV students increased their mark, out of a possible total of 30, from a pre-test mean 15 (SD3) to a post-test mean 21 (SD3). Thirty two year VI students increased their marks from a mean 18 (SD3) to a mean 24 (SD2). Both increases are highly significant (p < 0.001). The model has proved to be an effective way to teach students trauma skills in preparation for a subsequent clerkship or internship.