Interprogram Differences in Core General, Core Plastic, and Plastic Surgery-Adjacent Training

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Integrated plastic surgery residency programs are evolving, with residents spending increasing time in plastic surgery compared to general surgery.
• Understanding interprogram variations in core general surgery, core plastic surgery, and plastic surgery-adjacent curricula is crucial for standardized training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated description of interprogram differences in training curricula for integrated plastic surgery residency programs in the US.
• To compare current rotation schedules with American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) standards.

Main Methods:

• Rotation schedules were collected from US plastic surgery residency websites and program coordinators for the 2021-2022 academic year.
• Rotation months were categorized into Core General Surgery, Core Plastic Surgery, and Plastic Surgery-Adjacent.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, comparing rotations to ABPS and ACGME standards.

Main Results:

• Of 63 analyzed programs, most followed a 2-year Core General Surgery followed by 4-year Core Plastic Surgery model.
• Median rotation months included 52 for Core Plastic Surgery, 12 for Core General Surgery, and 8 for Plastic Surgery-Adjacent.
• Only 9.5% of programs had schedules addressing all ABPS competency requirements, and 1.6% addressed all ACGME Core General Surgery requirements.

Conclusions:

• Integrated plastic surgery training programs in 2021-2022 showed a trend towards more Core Plastic Surgery rotations and fewer Core General Surgery and Plastic Surgery-Adjacent rotations compared to 2012.
• A significant gap exists between program schedules and explicit fulfillment of all ABPS and ACGME competency requirements through named rotations.