Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 4)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 5)
Medical Student
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Introduction: Foundational clinical skills like suturing are typically introduced during medical school, leaving many pre-health students—especially in underserved regions—without early exposure. This is particularly relevant in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a medically and dermatologically underserved area of South Texas. Research suggests that early confidence with hands-on skills may influence future interest in procedural and surgical careers. We developed and evaluated a low-resource suturing module for high school students as part of a dermatology outreach event aimed at building early procedural skills and career pipeline interest.
Methods: Tenth-grade students from a public health professions high school in the RGV participated in a 20-minute suturing workshop led by a board-certified dermatologist. Using a document camera and synthetic kits, the session included a live demonstration followed by guided practice. Anonymous pre- and post-surveys measured self-reported confidence, engagement, and instructional effectiveness.
Results: Eighty-two students completed both surveys. Mean confidence increased from 2.32 to 2.76 on a 4-point scale (p = 0.0048; Cohen’s d = 0.49). Confidence gains were larger among students with no prior exposure (+0.52) and those who felt “very engaged” (+0.70), underscoring the importance of interactive instruction in skill-based education. Over 80% reported that hands-on practice made learning easier, and synthetic practice was cited as the most helpful component.
Conclusion: This low-tech, scalable workshop produced measurable gains in procedural confidence among pre-health learners in an underserved setting. It supports the value of early exposure to clinical skills and offers a replicable format for equity-driven dermatology and surgical pipeline programs.
Presentation Type
Poster
Recommended Citation
Marupudi, Smaran; Hensley, Jared; Martin, Blake; Oestreich, Maci D.; Escamilla, Jennifer V.; Ibrahim, Amin; Harris, Chloe C.; Sta. Maria, David; Ybanez, Kaitlyn D.; Moreno, Jacqueline; Fraga, Roberto J.; Khan, Shiza; Quailes, Natasha N.; Bangash, Aun; Nwaeri, Michelle; and Villegas, Maria, "Stitching Confidence: A Brief Suturing Workshop for High School Students in a Medically Underserved Region" (2025). Research Colloquium. 99.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2025/posters/99
Included in
Stitching Confidence: A Brief Suturing Workshop for High School Students in a Medically Underserved Region
Introduction: Foundational clinical skills like suturing are typically introduced during medical school, leaving many pre-health students—especially in underserved regions—without early exposure. This is particularly relevant in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a medically and dermatologically underserved area of South Texas. Research suggests that early confidence with hands-on skills may influence future interest in procedural and surgical careers. We developed and evaluated a low-resource suturing module for high school students as part of a dermatology outreach event aimed at building early procedural skills and career pipeline interest.
Methods: Tenth-grade students from a public health professions high school in the RGV participated in a 20-minute suturing workshop led by a board-certified dermatologist. Using a document camera and synthetic kits, the session included a live demonstration followed by guided practice. Anonymous pre- and post-surveys measured self-reported confidence, engagement, and instructional effectiveness.
Results: Eighty-two students completed both surveys. Mean confidence increased from 2.32 to 2.76 on a 4-point scale (p = 0.0048; Cohen’s d = 0.49). Confidence gains were larger among students with no prior exposure (+0.52) and those who felt “very engaged” (+0.70), underscoring the importance of interactive instruction in skill-based education. Over 80% reported that hands-on practice made learning easier, and synthetic practice was cited as the most helpful component.
Conclusion: This low-tech, scalable workshop produced measurable gains in procedural confidence among pre-health learners in an underserved setting. It supports the value of early exposure to clinical skills and offers a replicable format for equity-driven dermatology and surgical pipeline programs.
