Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
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There is no systematic review of the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of teaching surgical and emergency skills to undergraduates. ⋯ This systematic review assessed the quality of RCTs used in teaching undergraduates surgical and emergency skills. There are many positive study outcomes, but there are significant methodological weaknesses in the study design. Students varied in their skills, and most did not demonstrate optimal performance in any of the procedures. This review provides a baseline for further work important to both medical education and clinical practice.