Exploring residents' interest and career aspirations in global surgery

Surgical residents increasingly seek global surgery (GS) experiences during training. Understanding their motives and goals is important to develop the optimal educational programs. A survey for surgical residents was developed to explore this interest.

A survey administered in 2016 to residents in three surgical programs within the same academic institution assessed interest, prior global health experience, preferred training opportunities, and career goals in GS.

Seventy-four surgical residents responded (78%) with 82% expressing interest in GS and 86% motivated by a desire for volunteerism. International electives (65%) and volunteer missions (49%) were the preferred experiences during residency over longer commitments such as advanced degrees. A majority of residents planned to incorporate GS into their career (76%) most commonly by volunteering on missions (70%) with a smaller group aiming for a career in GS (13%). Residents with prior global health experience (n = 27, 36%) showed greater interest in GS (96% versus 72%, P = 0.02) and a commitment after residency (93% versus 68%, P = 0.02), and trended toward greater interest in GS careers (22% versus 6%, P = 0.06).

Institutional interest in GS remains high among surgical residents, motivated primarily by a desire for volunteerism. Following training, most residents plan to participate in short-term volunteer commitments, though a small group envisions GS as part of their long-term career goals. Prior global health experience is associated with interest in GS both in the present and long term. Providing these experiences early may be a strategy to support academic interest.