Improving participation and quality of clinical research in a university-based general surgery residency program

At a university-based general surgery training program, post-graduate year (PGY) to 5 categorical general surgery residents had been required to complete an annual clinical research project and a year of laboratory research. Since the 80-hour work week, the laboratory experience was made optional, with a resultant decline in laboratory and clinical participation by 50 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively. Our goal was to review the effect of a simple programmatic intervention on the research compliance rate and quality. The Department was informed about the clinical research requirement via e-mail, memo, and announcements. Faculty submitted lists of novel or on-going projects. This was compiled and e-mailed to the Department with a list of project milestones. This included identification of a research mentor and project, Human Subjects Course certification, institutional review board submission dates, a midyear progress report, and final submission date. Rates of compliance and nature of research were recorded the year before and the 2 years after the intervention. Before the intervention, 2 of 16 residents were compliant. Faculty submitted 76 projects for resident review. One hundred per cent compliance with all aspects of the program was seen at the end of both year 1 and 2. Case reports rate fell from 65, to 30, to 25 per cent by the end of year 2. Publications increased from three preintervention to 13 by year 2. Presentations increased from five preintervention to 13 by end of year 2. This study demonstrates that small inexpensive interventions can have a dramatic effect on research participation.