Optimizing the surgical residents' educational experience on transplant surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Transplant Surgery Training

Background:

• High service demands in transplant surgery challenge resident education.
• Poor resident evaluations led to proposals to remove transplant rotations from general surgery programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• Analyze the problem of poor resident evaluations in transplant surgery.
• Propose an action plan to enhance resident educational experiences.

Main Methods:

• Collaboration between ASTS committees, leadership, and program directors.
• Identification of key factors contributing to educational challenges.
• Development of a corrective action plan.

Main Results:

• Key issues identified: high service demands, inadequate education prioritization, competition with fellows, and external training needs.
• ASTS directives include designating education leads, creating non-resident-dependent infrastructure, re-educating staff, structuring education, increasing surgical involvement, and gathering feedback.

Conclusions:

• Transplant surgery provides a valuable educational experience for residents.
• The ASTS is committed to enhancing resident training through collaboration.