Safety of surgical resident training

The current structure of residency training allows for safe participation of residents in the care of surgical patients. In part, this is likely due to the ability of attending-level surgeons and educators to adequately select and provide the supervision needed for different levels of residents. Nonetheless, efforts have to be made to ensure the optimal safety of patients in several settings of modern health care. For laparoscopic surgery, training and simulation are highly advisable in preparing residents to perform well in the early stage of their learning curves. Attention has to be given to safe and complete hand-offs, especially with the increased focus on restricting work hours and the increased number of changing shifts. Measures to ensure optimal preparation of surgical residents to perform well in stressful situations should also be taken, because such situations are an intrinsic part of this specialty. It is only by focusing on all these aspects that we can ensure the safety for our patients and provide the best possible training for the next generation of surgeons.