Neurosurgical training in the United kingdom and ireland: assessing progress and attainment

To review neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom and Ireland in the past decade and the methods used to monitor training and assess trainee competence.

A database was compiled with data from 1990 to 2000 on behalf of the Specialist Advisory Committee in Neurosurgery from trainee logbook operative totals submitted on achieving accreditation or receiving the Certificate of Completion of Surgical Training.

During the 11-year period, 109 trainees achieved accreditation or Certificate of Completion of Surgical Training. The median duration of training, including research, was 6.1 years. The total training duration per year did not change overall, although results suggested an increasing trend in the duration of clinical training (excluding research) from 4.8 to 5.6 years since 1997. The median age at accreditation or at receipt of Certificate of Completion of Surgical Training was 35 years 7 months. At completion of training, the Specialist Advisory Committee used operative totals in addition to reports from trainers to analyze the trainees' competence. Despite changes to the training system and a reduction in hours of work, the quality of training, as reflected by median operative totals, did not change during the decade. The database also permitted assessment of operative experience gained within each training program.

The duration of training and training standards in terms of operative experience have remained constant during the past decade. Operative totals provide an objective method of assessing trainee progress and attainment and enable a comparison of experience offered by different training programs. An alternative method of assessing trainee operative competence that can be used in conjunction with median operative totals is proposed.