Does protected research time during general surgery training contribute to graduates' career choice?

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Academic Medicine
• Research Training

Background:

• General surgery training programs often include dedicated research time.
• The value of these research experiences is debated due to training constraints.
• Quantifying the impact of protected research on surgical graduates is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term impact of protected research experiences on general surgery residency graduates.
• To identify factors correlating with success in academic surgery careers.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to all general surgery residency graduates from a single institution (1989-1999).
• Data collection achieved 100% response rate.
• Statistical analysis was performed to correlate research experience duration and career outcomes.

Main Results:

• 98.6% of graduates completed dedicated research; 72.6% are in academic surgery.
• 82.5% engage in research, with 69.5% holding research funding (32.9% NIH funded).
• Graduates with ≥2 years of research were more likely to pursue academic careers (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Protected research experiences are crucial for fostering academic careers in surgery.
• Sustained commitment to research during residency positively influences long-term academic productivity and leadership roles.
• Understanding and supporting resident research is vital for the future of academic surgery.