Variation in costs to complete surgical training: a cross-sectional observation analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Health Economics

Background:

• Surgical training pathways involve substantial financial commitments for trainees.
• Quantifying these costs across different specialties is crucial for educational planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the total financial cost incurred by surgical trainees.
• To analyze cost variations across ten surgical specialties within a Statutory Education Body (SEB).

Main Methods:

• Estimation of costs associated with Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP) and Joint Committee on Surgical Training (JCST) requirements.
• Inclusion of mandatory/recommended courses, professional registration, and examination fees.

Main Results:

• Median cost for mandatory courses was £1,498; recommended courses increased this to £5,998 annually.
• Examination fees and subscriptions raised the total median cost to £17,669.50 (£2,148.75 per year).
• General Surgery training incurred the highest costs (over £21,000), while Otolaryngology was the least expensive.

Conclusions:

• Mandatory and recommended courses exceeded study budgets for nearly one-third of trainees.
• Surgical training costs vary significantly by specialty (over 33% difference).
• Trainees, trainers, and surgical schools must consider these financial implications in curriculum design.