Are general surgery residency programs likely to prepare future rural surgeons?
Brit Doty1, Randall Zuckerman, David Borgstrom
1Mithoefer Center for Rural Surgery, Bassett Healthcare, Cooperstown, New York 13326, USA. brit.doty@bassett.org
Journal of Surgical Education
|June 3, 2009
Summary
Few general surgery residency programs train future rural surgeons. A coordinated effort is needed to increase the number of surgeons practicing in rural areas.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Rural Health
Background:
- A shortage of surgeons in rural US areas exists.
- Graduating surgeons often feel unprepared for rural practice.
- Family medicine residencies successfully train rural physicians.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess general surgery residency programs' preparedness for training rural surgeons.
- To apply criteria from successful rural family medicine programs.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated general surgery residency programs based on rural location, curriculum, and stated interest in rural training.
- Utilized American Medical Association data to analyze program characteristics.
Main Results:
- Only 25 (10%) of US general surgery residency programs met at least one criterion for rural training.
- Programs in the Midwest and South were more successful in graduating rural surgeons.
- No coordinated national effort to train rural surgeons was identified.
Conclusions:
- Few general surgery residency programs are positioned to train rural surgeons.
- A coordinated effort and potential consortium are needed to support rural surgical training.
- Addressing this gap is crucial for rural healthcare access.
