Exploring Perceptions of Organ Procurement: Need for a Formal Medical Student Curriculum
1Surgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 2Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 3Surgery, Columbia University, New York City, NY
Meeting: 2019 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: D225
Keywords: Donation, Procurement
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session D: Non-Organ Specific: Public Policy & Allocation
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall C & D
*Purpose: Medical student participation in organ procurement provides early exposure to surgery and may inspire donor advocacy. We evaluated medical students’ experiences with an organ procurement program and its impact on surgery interest and organ donation knowledge.
*Methods: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate medical student participation in an organ procurement program at a single center from 2014 to 2017. The program allowed students to assist transplant fellows with procurements; however, no formal curriculum was offered. In 2017, students completed a voluntary survey regarding their experiences. The primary outcome was organ donation knowledge.
*Results: Of 139 students who completed the survey, the majority (56.8%) were female with near equal distribution among medical school classes. Seventy-two (51.8%) students had a preexisting interest in surgery, and 93 (75.6%) were registered organ donors. The main motivation to participate was earlier exposure to the operating room. Seventy-four (53.3%) students did at least one procurement. Although 43 (60.6%) students studied prior to procurement, 41 (57.8%) expressed a need for increased preparation. Preferred learning modalities included procedural videos, time with the transplant fellows to ask questions, and focused anatomy overview. The procurement experience was resoundingly positive: 58 (81.7%) felt the program exceeded expectations, with less than one-third missing class and only three (4.3%) reporting a negative impact on academic performance. Finally, 38 (53.5%) students had increased interest in pursuing an acting internship and career in surgery after the experience. Participation was not associated with improved familiarity with organ donation concepts (Table).
*Conclusions: Student participation in organ procurement is an opportunity for early exposure to the operating room that is associated with interest in surgery. Adding a structured curriculum may turn medical students from passive observers into active learners, maximizing the educational experience and better equipping future providers to promote organ donation.
| Familiarity with organ donation concepts: | All Students (N = 139) | No procurement (N = 65) | Procurement (N = 74) | p-value |
| Severity of organ shortage in the U.S. | 81 (62.8%) | 41 (63.1%) | 40 (62.5%) | 0.95 |
| OPTN and UNOS | 37 (29.1%) | 18 (28.6%) | 19 (29.7%) | 0.89 |
| Transplant listing requirements and exclusions | 49 (38.0%) | 28 (43.1%) | 21 (32.8%) | 0.23 |
| Histocompatibility and medical factors involved in matching/allocation | 99 (76.7%) | 48 (73.9%) | 51 (79.7% | 0.43 |
| Logistical factors involved in matching/allocation | 37 (28.7%) | 22 (33.9%) | 15 (23.4%) | 0.19 |
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Winer L, Vivero M, Scully B, Cortez A, Kassam A, Kuethe J, Nowygrod R, Emond J, III RCQuillin. Exploring Perceptions of Organ Procurement: Need for a Formal Medical Student Curriculum [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2019; 19 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/exploring-perceptions-of-organ-procurement-need-for-a-formal-medical-student-curriculum/. Accessed May 9, 2025.« Back to 2019 American Transplant Congress