A survey of nearly 4,500 general surgery residents finds that the majority are satisfied with their training and relationships with faculty and peers, but also indicated concerns regarding motivations for pursuing surgical careers and the need to complete specialty training, according to a study in the September 23/30 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on medical education.
General surgery residency training is facing formidable pressures, including less attraction to surgery as a profession, increasing interest in surgical subspecialization, and estimated attrition rates of 17 percent to 26 percent among categorical general surgery residents, rates that are higher than other medical residencies, according to background information in the article. "At the same time, a substantial shortage of general surgeons is predicted. Strategies responding to these complex and competing challenges can be informed by understanding general surgery residents' attitudes and experiences regarding training, and their association with attrition," the authors write.
Heather Yeo, M.D., M.H.S.R., of the Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn., and colleagues conducted a survey in January 2008 of U.S. general surgery residents to characterize their attitudes, experiences, and expectations regarding residency training and to identify predictors of attrition from residency training. Of 5,345 categorical general surgery residents, 4,402 (82.4 percent) responded, representing 248 of 249 surgical residency programs.
The researchers found that the majority of respondents (3,686, 85.2 percent) expressed high levels of satisfaction with training. "The majority of respondents (71.6 percent) reported that their program has support structures for residents who are struggling and that they can turn to the faculty when having difficulties in the program (71.9 percent). Residents generally reported very positive collaborative relationships with peers, with [84.2 percent] indicating that they can count on other residents to help them out when they are having a problem," the authors write.