When you are on the operating table, who would you trust holding the scalpel? This is the question that runs through every patient’s mind before entering the operating room. Ultimately, who do you trust to save your life?
The reality is that surgical training begins late in medical school. This means the average surgeon gets only about 5-9 years of true surgical exposure before operating independently. But what if that exposure could begin earlier? What if those years could become 9-13? This becomes possible through early surgical exposure during the undergraduate years of a future surgeon. With early exposure, future surgeons can gain an additional four years of experience they would not otherwise have.
A group of researchers in Minnesota conducted a one-year assessment that included an undergraduate surgery interest group, introductory surgical skills workshops, surgeon guest lectures, and facility tours. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and feasibility of offering education and mentorship opportunities in surgery to premedical students through an undergraduate surgery interest group.
Suturing Practice
Image Source: BSIP
The results showed that this kind of early exposure was not just exciting, it was effective. The undergraduate surgery interest group grew to 378 members, with each event hosting around 40 participants. Most participants were women, and many joined with a pre-existing interest in surgery, with neurosurgery, trauma, and cardiothoracic surgery ranking among the most popular specialties. More importantly, after these workshops, students reported increased confidence in their surgical knowledge and foundational clinical skills.
The American Academy of Medicine and Surgery at UCLA (AAMS-UC) brings this concept into real student spaces. Through hands-on experiences such as suturing, vessel ligation, practicing with animal organs, and even simulating procedures like coronary artery bypass graft, students are introduced to surgical skills years before medical school. This type of exposure mirrors what the study emphasizes: early, active engagement can build both confidence and clarity in pursuing a surgical career.
Ultimately, the difference between a good surgeon and a great one does not start in the operating room, but years before a surgeon ever steps into it. Early exposure does not just teach technique, it shapes decision-making, confidence, and commitment to the field. When future surgeons are given the opportunity to learn, practice, and be mentored earlier, they enter training more prepared than ever before. And when that surgeon is standing over you, scalpel in hand, those extra years of experience will make all the difference.
Featured Image Source: Jacob Lund
