Reported Variability in General Surgery Training Across Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Programs

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) programs utilize diverse methods for general surgery training.
• The optimal duration and timing of general surgery rotations within PRS residencies are subjects of ongoing discussion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current landscape of general surgery exposure within integrated PRS residency programs.
• To analyze the variability in the duration and type of general surgery training provided.

Main Methods:

• A review of 36 integrated PRS residency programs was conducted, focusing on postgraduate year (PGY)-level rotation data.
• General surgery rotations were quantified in weeks and categorized as PRS-aligned, American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) Required Clinical (RC), or ABPS Strongly Suggested (SS).

Main Results:

• All programs included general surgery rotations in PGY-1 and PGY-2; by PGY-6, only 25% still required them, typically in specialized areas.
• The average duration of general surgery rotations across all 6 years was 61 weeks, with significant variation (32-119 weeks).
• Programs with less overall general surgery exposure showed a higher proportion of ABPS RC and SS rotations, but no clear educational model explained the duration variability.

Conclusions:

• Significant variability exists in the total duration of general surgery training across integrated PRS programs.
• No discernible educational pattern explains the wide range of general surgery exposure when controlling for PRS-aligned or ABPS-required rotations.
• Re-examination of the ideal general surgery curriculum within integrated PRS training is warranted to optimize resident education.