Sub-Internship Academy: Implementation and Evaluation of Single-Day Resident-Driven Focused Sub-Internship Preparation Course

World Neurosurg. 2024 Oct 1:S1878-8750(24)01676-0. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.09.127. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Objective: Strong performance in neurosurgical sub-internships is a vital component of a successful residency application and requires adequate familiarity with clinical knowledge and technical skills that may not be covered in standard medical school curricula. Accordingly, a need exists for immersive and comprehensive sub-internship preparation programs that respect time and resource limitations, are optimized based on longitudinal student feedback, provide opportunities for mentorship, and foster enthusiasm for neurosurgery. Therefore, residents at a single institution designed and implemented a comprehensive curriculum for a one-day sub-internship academy.

Methods: Academy curriculum involved hands-on and discussion-based elements split into three workshops. Anonymous surveys were conducted immediately following the academy and upon completion of sub-internships to evaluate participant perceptions on the utility of the academy.

Results: Twelve medical students participated in the inaugural neurosurgery sub-internship academy. Nine responded to the immediate post-survey, which revealed the following ratings: the overall program was rated as having maximal impact on sub-internship readiness and enthusiasm for neurosurgery by eight (88.9%) and seven (77.8%) respondents, respectively. A largely positive impact on access to mentorship was observed. Six participants responded to a post-sub-internship survey, and all six indicated they agreed or strongly agreed that the academy prepared them to perform well.

Conclusions: Student perceptions of the relevance and utility of the sub-internship academy were positive, and the program fostered enthusiasm for neurosurgery and provided opportunities for mentorship. The participants indicated the academy positively impacted their sub-internship performance, and areas for improvement to guide future iterations of the academy were identified.

Keywords: medical student education; neurosurgical education; sub-internship; surgical education; training evaluation.