Outcomes of the Canadian Orthopaedic Surgery Medical Education Course (COSMEC): a virtual curriculum to enhance medical student learning.

Abstract

Background: Studies have highlighted inadequate exposure to musculoskeletal education and orthopedic surgery in mandatory medical school curricula; thus, the Canadian Orthopaedic Surgery Medical Education Course (COSMEC) was designed to enhance medical education around orthopedic surgery and common musculoskeletal presentations encountered in primary care. We sought to explore the effectiveness of COSMEC in preparing medical students for clinical training and future practice.

Methods: Canadian and international medical students were invited to participate in COSMEC, a 12-week virtual course led by orthopedic faculty and senior residents. Teaching objectives were guided by the musculoskeletal objectives of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination and expert opinion. We administered pre- and postcourse surveys to assess outcomes related to participant knowledge, confidence, and interest in orthopedic surgery.

Results: A total of 133 medical students registered and completed COSMEC. Of these, we received 84 paired pre- and postcourse surveys. Knowledge scores improved from 7.9 (standard deviation [SD] 2.6) to 9.7 (SD 2.0) out of 14 (p < 0.001). There were significant improvements in participant-reported confidence in performing a history and physical examination, understanding the basic components of fracture management, managing bone and joint emergencies, and describing fracture radiographs (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Overall, COSMEC enhanced knowledge and confidence in orthopedic and musculoskeletal topics and is an effective extracurricular learning resource for medical students. It can help prepare medical students for future training and practice involving orthopedic and musculoskeletal patient presentations.