Training general surgery residents in paediatric surgery

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Surgical Education
• General Surgery Training

Background:

• Children require specialized pediatric surgical care, often concentrated in large centers.
• General surgeons frequently manage pediatric patients, especially in developing countries.
• Adequate training for general surgical residents in pediatric care is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the adequacy of pediatric surgical training for general surgery residents in Pakistan.
• To evaluate residents' confidence and awareness of guidelines regarding pediatric surgical patients.
• To identify gaps in the current general surgery training curriculum for pediatric cases.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted among general surgery residents and fellows in Karachi, Pakistan.
• Data collection focused on training experiences, confidence levels, and awareness of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) guidelines.
• Response rate was 90.4%.

Main Results:

• Only 25% of respondents were aware of CPSP guidelines for pediatric surgical training.
• Nearly half of the residents intended to include pediatric patients in their future practice.
• While most believed their training was adequate, a significant majority lacked confidence in operating on pediatric patients.

Conclusions:

• Current general surgery training programs in Pakistan do not adequately equip residents with the confidence needed for pediatric surgical care.
• There is a need to revise the training curriculum to improve pediatric surgical skills and confidence among general surgery residents.
• Enhanced training is essential to address the gap in managing surgical problems in children.