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Background: Although suturing is an essential competency for medical students, there has been limited research into the skills acquisition process over the course of medical school curriculum. This study aimed to determine whether suturing ability improved over the course of clerkship and whether an interest in a surgical discipline was associated with improved skill acquisition. Methods: The suturing ability of third-year medical students at a large Canadian medical school was assessed at the beginning of clerkship (August 2018) as well as before and after their surgery rotation by 2 expert reviewers using a validated, objective scoring system as well as a qualitative assessment, both in person and via blinded video recordings. Students were randomly allocated to 4 groups for their clerkship year by the medical school. Results: Of 133 eligible students, 115 (86.5%) completed the study. Median suturing assessment scores improved significantly after the surgery rotation (214.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 191.1-235.0] v. 238.0 [IQR 223.5-255.0], p = 0.001). Groups that had completed a procedural rotation (emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology) between clerkship and starting their surgery rotation had improved scores between these time points (p < 0.05), whereas scores decreased for groups that did not have a procedural rotation between assessments. Regardless of previous rotations, suturing scores were similar between groups after the surgery rotation. The 21 students (18.3%) who were interested in a surgical discipline had higher suturing scores than students who were not interested in surgery at the beginning of clerkship (229.1 [IQR 220.2-253.0] v. 208.0 [IQR 185.0-228.0], p < 0.001) and after the surgery rotation (252.0 [IQR 227.0-268.0] v. 235.8 [IQR 220.5-251.2], p = 0.02). Conclusion: Medical students' suturing ability improved during the surgery rotation but was also influenced by other procedural rotations and students' interest in procedure specialties. Skill acquisition by medical students is complex and requires additional investigation. Contexte : Bien que les sutures soient une competence essentielle pour les etudiants en medecine, peu d'etudes ont ete menees sur le processus d'acquisition de cette competence dans le cadre du programme d'etudes en medecine. Cette etude visait a determiner s'il y avait amelioration de la competence en realisation de sutures des etudiants en medecine au fil du stage clinique et si un interet pour les disciplines chirurgicales etait associe a l'acquisition de la competence. Methodes : La competence en realisation de sutures d'etudiants de troisieme annee de medecine d'une grande faculte de medecine canadienne a ete evaluee au debut de leur stage clinique (aout 2018) ainsi qu'avant et apres leur stage de chirurgie par 2 evaluateurs experts utilisant un systeme de notation objectif valide et effectuant une evaluation qualitative, en personne et par enregistrement video en aveugle. Les etudiants ont ete repartis aleatoirement par la faculte de medecine en quatre groupes pour leur annee de stages. Resultats : Des 133 etudiants admissibles, 115 (86,5 %) ont termine l'etude. Le resultat median a l'evaluation des sutures a augmente de facon significative apres le stage de chirurgie (214,5, ecart interquartile [EI] 191,1 a 235,0; c. 238,0, EI 223,5 a 255,0; p = 0,001). Les groupes qui avaient effectue un stage en medecine d'urgence ou en obstetrique et gynecologie entre leur stage clinique et le debut de leur stage de chirurgie ont reussi a ameliorer leur resultat dans l'intervalle (p < 0,05), alors qu'on a observe une baisse des scores dans les groupes qui n'ont pas eu ce type de stage entre les 2 evaluations. Cela dit, apres le stage de chirurgie, les resultats des groupes etaient similaires, quels que soient les stages precedents. Les 21 etudiants (18,3 %) qui envisageaient de se specialiser en chirurgie ont obtenu des scores superieurs aux etudiants qui n'avaient pas manifeste d'interet pour cette discipline, tant au debut du stage clinique (229,1 [EI 220,2 a 253,0] c. 208,0 [EI 185,0 a 228,0]; p < 0,001) qu'apres le stage de chirurgie (252,0 [EI 227,0 a 268,0] c. 235,8 [EI 220,5 a 251,2]; p = 0,02). Conclusion : La competence des etudiants en medecine en realisation de sutures s'est amelioree durant leur stage de chirurgie, mais elle est aussi influencee par d'autres stages pratiques et par l'interet des etudiants pour les disciplines de medecine chirurgicale. L'acquisition de competences par les etudiants en medecine est un processus complexe qui doit etre etudie davantage., There is a growing movement toward competencybased medical education, including in technical skills, at all levels of training. This includes undergraduate medical education, where several skills have been identified as [...]