Evidence in surgical training - a review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Surgical residency programs originated in Germany in the late 1880s and were adopted in the US in 1889.
• Surgical education has shifted from extensive exposure to structured curricula, with current international discussions focused on work hour restrictions.
• Concerns exist regarding the impact of reduced working hours on operative case volume and resident preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the evolution and current state of international surgical curricula.
• To identify challenges and potential solutions for surgical education in the context of evolving healthcare environments.
• To highlight the need for evidence-based evaluation of surgical training methods.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical developments in surgical residency programs.
• Analysis of international surgical curricula and their variations.
• Discussion of the impact of work hour restrictions and resource limitations on surgical training.

Main Results:

• Significant international differences exist in surgical curricula, even within the European Union.
• There is a lack of comparative studies evaluating the superiority of different educational systems.
• Limited evidence exists to differentiate surgeon proficiency or track resident progress effectively.

Conclusions:

• Current surgical education faces challenges due to reduced working hours, increased costs, and regulatory pressures.
• A shift in focus towards innovative educational strategies and tools is necessary.
• Further research and evidence generation for existing and novel learning tools are crucial for future surgical education.