1167 A Cross-Sectional Study of Undergraduate Exposure and Teaching of Trauma and Orthopaedics in The UK

Aim Research has shown exposure to specialities as a medical student can have a great influence in choice of career. Exposure to potential mentors during this time also has an additive effect on career shaping of medical students. It is important to encourage interest in trauma and orthopaedics (T&O) to ensure the best candidates are selected. Our aim was to establish the compulsory duration of T&O teaching provided by all (non-new) medical schools. This study also aims to identify which other specialities were taught alongside T&O. Method Surveys were distributed to medical students in all 33 (non-new) medical schools, through surgical societies and colleagues met through courses, between June 2019- February 2020. The survey asked the total length of compulsory teaching of T&O in days, and how this was divided into pre-clinical or clinical teaching. Results Data for all 33 UK medical schools were collected. Only 7 medical schools taught T&O as a standalone subject. The other 26 medical schools combined T&O with other specialities, most commonly with Rheumatology (n = 16). The average total length of days of T&O teaching across medical school was 17 days (range 3-60). Majority of this teaching was given in the clinical years of medical school (n = 30). Conclusions Research has shown medical students require enough exposure to increase their interest in pursuing a particular speciality. Currently there is a huge variance on the number of compulsory teaching days for T&O.