The role of the community teaching hospital in surgical undergraduate education

BACKGROUND: Significant changes in surgical practice have resulted in a reexamination of surgical undergraduate education. The increasing emphasis toward ambulatory procedures positions the community hospital as an excellent alternative site for surgical education. This study compares the quality of one medical school's surgical education at a principal teaching hospital to that of affiliated teaching hospitals. METHODS: Surgical undergraduate education offered through four programs was evaluated for 1993 to 1997. Students' performance was objectively rated by the National Board Examination in surgery, an oral examination, and a clinical appraisal. A subjective appraisal was determined via students' clerkship evaluation. RESULTS: There was a significant difference (P <0.01) in National Board Examination scores and clerkship evaluations that favored some affiliated teaching hospitals over the principal teaching hospital. CONCLUSION: The quality of surgical undergraduate education, documented by objective testing and subjective perception, indicated that the education obtained at the affiliated hospitals was at least equivalent to the principal teaching hospital.