Insights Into Thoracic Surgery Training Program in Italy: A Nationwide Residents' Survey.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Continuous improvement in thoracic surgery residency is vital.
• Understanding resident perspectives on surgical exposure is crucial.
• Limited Italian literature exists on this topic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the perspective of residents on surgical exposure in Italian thoracic surgery programs.
• To identify factors influencing surgical exposure during residency.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous, voluntary online survey of 74 items was distributed to Italian thoracic surgery residents (2nd-5th year).
• The survey focused on surgical exposure and its potential influencing factors.
• 103 out of 193 residents (53.4%) completed the survey.

Main Results:

• Mean cumulative procedures as first operator: 32.5 (median 20.0).
• Mean monthly procedures as first operator: 1.97 (median 1.0).
• Factors influencing surgical exposure included administrative workload, perceived free time, residency year, gender, and number of residents per department.

Conclusions:

• The Italian thoracic surgery residency program offers a well-structured educational experience with surgical exposure comparable to European standards.
• Efforts are needed to address identified criticalities and enhance surgical exposure.
• Continuous quality improvement and promotion of fair education are key goals.