Global cardiothoracic surgery: outcomes from a survey on current worldwide training programmes.

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Surgical Education
• Cardiothoracic Surgery

Background:

• Significant global disparities exist in access to cardiothoracic surgery.
• Training a diverse group of cardiothoracic surgeons is essential for equitable access.
• Current knowledge on global cardiothoracic surgical training pathways and standardization is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate global cardiothoracic surgical training pathways.
• To identify variations, barriers, and facilitators in cardiothoracic surgical training worldwide.
• To understand the future plans of cardiothoracic surgery trainees.

Main Methods:

• A 25-item survey was developed by the Global Thoracic Surgery Residents' Association.
• The survey covered country of origin, training access, variations, barriers, facilitators, and future plans.
• Electronic dissemination and social media platforms were used for survey distribution.

Main Results:

• 73 responses were received from trainees in 21 countries.
• Wide variations observed in training program length, operative autonomy, simulation use, supervision, and case requirements.
• Common barriers included discrimination and inadequate supervision; facilitators included global rotations and mentorship.

Conclusions:

• Global cardiothoracic training exhibits extreme variations and lacks standardization.
• Opportunities exist for standardizing trainee experiences and enhancing supervision.
• Increased global collaboration, knowledge transfer, and recognition of further training needs are evident.