Future of surgical residency programs?

[gb122787]

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Hi everyone,
I am a senior in high school and I spent the summer shadowing many surgeons. I know quite a bit about surgical residency programs, such as work hours, salary, lifestyle, etc. I was wondering how all of you think residency programs will change or evolve within the next 10 years. Do you think residents will have better hours while still getting a full education?
Thanks

 

[Smurfette]

Hi everyone,
I am a senior in high school and I spent the summer shadowing many surgeons. I know quite a bit about surgical residency programs, such as work hours, salary, lifestyle, etc. I was wondering how all of you think residency programs will change or evolve within the next 10 years. Do you think residents will have better hours while still getting a full education?
Thanks

The ripple effect of the 80 hour work week regulations is that surgical programs IMO are going to try and get back the ability for interns to take overnight call rather than be limited to 16 hour shifts---some programs already have been participating in a study and getting an exemption to the newer rules, and will be looking to maintain this option. They also have been changing some requirements for programs to include a minimum number of cases by end of the second year, which relates to the loss of OR time junior residents have had since the work hour limits went into place. Other specialties may have had some similar changes in their requirements that I am not aware of. For surgery, it is a balance between better hours and still seeing and managing patients with unusual problems to get a full education; residency hours do not directly correlate to life as an attending (i.e. you can find a job with much better hours as an attending). Don't choose a field based on the hours put in during residency--many people who go into "better" fields hours-wise still find themselves miserable in training with the hours and the overall grind, because residency is intense and condensed. I do not foresee the hours being further restricted without making residency training longer across the board.

Moving to hSDN forum.

 

[Danbo1957]

Residencies will not become longer, no money for it at the least; and some current academic general surgery programs require one and sometimes two years of research. The 80 hours mandate has had more than ripple effects, a complete change in the administration of residency programs has resulted. Generally, medical training evolves based on requirements that must be met, general surgery programs are full of innovative people working on making training more efficient and rewarding. (Additionally, I foresee a three-year medical school curriculum being the norm in ten years time.)

 

[RadOncDoc21]

(Additionally, I foresee a three-year medical school curriculum being the norm in ten years time.)

I don't agree on this part. Medical school is a money making industry and even though it makes sense not to include all 4 years, I don't see admins changing it up anytime soon... Unless they can still charge the same tuition.

 

[Danbo1957]

Half of MS4 is a waste of time; there are several current three-year medical schools that used to be four years. Random example of a 4th-year schedule, Texas Tech (not my program):

As with residencies, medical school curriculum will adapt, instruction will be continually refined in terms of schedule. I'm actively working in this area of condensing instruction at my program. As I said above, more than ripple effects... and, of course, many medical schools will charge all they can for those three years. (Note: here in Texas public medical schools are dirt cheap for instate student attendance and a bargain for others, even the private Baylor College of Medicine charges half the tuition of other similar private US medical schools.)

 

[Winged Scapula]

What I see happening to surgical training is the early fast tracking into sub specialities. Like the integrated vascular and plastics programs, as well as others, I foresee that being done for other general surgery subspecialties.

While talk has been had regarding the lengthening of residency I also don't for see that really happening in part because of funding and also because in part, it will drive away some good candidates.

The future likely lies in doing something like what orthopedics does: operate and leave the perioperative management to other specialties. This allows them to focus on their specialty and would be a way to significantly reduce the work hours, at least during the junior years.


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