Program directors' views on general surgery resident travel for transplant rotations

Some program directors in surgery (PDs) must maintain transplant rotations at nonintegrated (away) hospitals. This study investigated the opinions of PDs related to resident travel for transplant surgery experience.

An Internet-based survey was e-mailed to 251 PDs in the United States.

Altogether, 131 PDs (52%) responded. Of those, 66% have a transplant service at integrated hospitals. Small majorities of PDs believed transplant rotations offer a good educational experience (59%) and comply with duty hours (71%). Few PDs believed transplant rotations provide excellent operative experience (47%) and mandate service over education (38%). PDs leading community-affiliated and smaller programs employed away rotations more commonly. Affected PDs used commuting (48%) and purchased temporary housing (52%). Most believed travel is a poor aspect of the experience (78%) and transplant rotations should become an optional component of residency training (60%). PDs using away hospitals more often believed this content area should be eliminated.

Although away transplant rotations minimally impact opinions of PDs related to select educational issues, most PDs challenge the existing paradigm of transplant surgery as essential content.