Background: Nowadays, almost all abdominal surgeries, including those on the colon, rectum, stomach, liver, and pancreas, are performed laparoscopically. By recognizing the latest advancements in minimally invasive procedures, such as laparoscopy, and the absence of a dedicated training program in this area from our nation's medical curriculum, it is evident that assessing medical students' attitude and knowledge is crucial.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, 102 medical students from Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Medical Science Branch, in 2023-2024, were assessed using a questionnaire created by the researcher. The inclusion criteria were passing the internship or externship in 2023 and passing the surgery course during the externship. Incomplete questionnaire data served as an exclusion criterion. The questionnaire included 17 attitude questions (Likert scoring) and 14 knowledge questions (maximum score of 13). The questionnaire's validity and reliability were verified. The analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 26 software, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 102 students who participated in this study, 57 (55.9%) were externs. The mean age was 24.74 ± 2.48 years. Most of the participants were female (70.6%). The mean knowledge score was 9.77 ± 1.88, which signifies a commendable level of knowledge among participants. Furthermore, the attitude score was also assessed and found to be favorable. This study demonstrated that neither gender nor educational attainment had a statistically significant impact on the knowledge and attitude scores pertaining to laparoscopic surgery (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Medical students recognize the importance and benefits of laparoscopic procedures; however, their knowledge and attitude toward this field need to be improved. Enhancing educational programs and providing hands-on learning opportunities will better prepare students to perform laparoscopic procedures effectively.