Enhancing Graduate Surgical Education: Recommendations for Development of Common Surgery Education and Training...

Concerns persist within the surgical community that completion of an accredited surgical residency no longer consistently ensures that trainees are ready for independent practice. In response, the Independent Committee for Graduate Surgical Education (ICGSE) was established in January 2025 to address the unique requirements of surgical training. The committee's mandate was to recommend program standards that would potentially optimize education and training for surgical residents, with the goal of improving patient care.

The ICGSE, consisting of 71 surgeons across 16 specialties, reviewed the history of surgical accreditation and relevant literature. Workgroup-led discussions identified strategies for improving trainee readiness and modernization of program accreditation standards.

A literature review showed a "readiness gap" affecting 20%-30% of surgical trainees across multiple specialties. Key areas for improvement include:1. Designing curricula that increase clinical exposure, promote progressive autonomy, and facilitate transition to independent practice.2. Aligning training with the realities of surgical practice.3. Balancing accreditation requirements with efforts to reduce administrative burden and enhance faculty development.4. Emphasizing program evaluation beyond board passage rates and surveys to include real-time and longitudinal tracking of skill and clinical judgment acquisition.5. Supporting faculty education in teaching and assessment.6. Providing clear developmental roadmaps for lifelong learning.

1. Modernize accreditation through application of continuous quality improvement processes.2. Implement an outcomes-focused curriculum adaptable to each specialty that encourages innovation.3. Supplement case logs with an evidence-based framework for assuring procedural competency.4. Require standardized nontechnical skills training and assessment.5. Establish a longitudinal, competency-based assessment system.6. Mandate verifiable faculty development with institutional support.

The ICGSE recommends that the graduate surgery education community, in collaboration with oversight organizations and professional associations, work to develop common surgery-focused accreditation standards that would drive the excellence required in surgical care.