Preparation of Medical Students for Surgery Residency Training: Key Considerations and Major Advances

This article is based on the Hamilton Russell Memorial Lecture delivered by the author at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress, Sydney, May 4, 2025. The article addresses the important transition from medical school to surgery residency training that is receiving great attention within current efforts to transform surgical education. It addresses a broad range of issues in five sections that are aligned with the Hamilton Russell Memorial Lecture. These sections are background information; underlying conceptual frameworks; educational strategies and programs aimed specifically at medical students; the transition from medical school to surgery residency training; and efforts of a national professional organization.