Medical students who enter general surgery residency programs: a follow-up between 1972 and 1986

Article Abstract:

Every year graduating medical students show a high level of interest in surgical specialties; 92 percent of surgical residency positions are filled. It is presumed that most physicians who enter a surgical residency program will remain in the field of surgery. There has been a general trend toward career change in all medical specialties and very little information is available on the eventual careers of surgical residents. A follow-up of medical school graduates who entered surgical residency programs over the last 15 years was undertaken to determine the proportion who eventually remain in surgery or a surgical subspecialty and to identify changing career patterns. A total of 563 (19 percent) medical school graduates who entered a surgical residency program were assessed. Sixty percent of these physicians remained in general surgery; 26 percent remained within the field of surgery, but moved to another specialty. During the first five years of the study (during the mid-1970s) those who remained within the field of surgery had better academic credentials than those who left; in the most recent five-year period, those with better academic scores left surgery. Throughout the time of the study there were no differences in age or sex between those who remained in a surgical field and those who left. During the earliest period, 17 percent of graduates switched to nonsurgical fields, compared with 11 percent in the most recent five-year period. In the most recent group studied, one-third of the residents (8) left to go into anesthesiology; other specialties that surgical residents moved into were internal medicine (6), family practice (3), radiology (3), emergency medicine (1), preventive medicine (1) and obstetrics/gynecology (1). These results suggest that residents who leave surgical training may choose areas in which their life- style is more controllable. These physicians may be more qualified than those who remain in surgical fields. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Medical students, Education, Career choice, Vocational guidance

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Preparing surgery house officers for their teaching role

Article Abstract:

Following medical school, a physician usually begins a period of residency training which may last from three to seven years. During this period, most of the resident's time is spent in patient care, however, a resident is also expected to teach others (medical students, less experienced residents in the same specialty, or residents in other areas of medicine). A survey of the published literature on medical education was undertaken to determine how residents are prepared to carry out this role. The role of resident physicians as teacher has been documented by various studies. Perceptions of this role by the residents themselves, medical students, and faculty have been identified. Efforts have been made to evaluate and improve the teaching skills of resident physicians in many specialties. It is important to answer the following questions: What types of teaching skills are needed? How do expectations of students and faculty influence the resident's teaching? What teaching methods (workshops, one-on-one, conferences, group sessions) are most effective? And what benefits accrue from improved teaching by residents? It is suggested that this role of teacher be better defined and the residents be better prepared to assume this role by improvement of their teaching skills. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Training, Graduate medical education

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Head and neck surgery: ruminations

Article Abstract:

There are two issues that the president of the Society of Head and Neck Surgeons must address. The first is the fiscal integrity of the organization. There had been a reduction in the financial reserves of the organization. In 1989 the Executive Council of the organization proposed an increase in dues; this was ratified by the members. Cost cutting measures were discussed. The cost of management, which was 50 percent of the organization's annual budget, needed examination. A new fee was negotiated with the current management group. The second issue to be dealt with was to define the long-term goals of the organization. The Society of Head and Neck Surgeons was originally founded in 1954 to exchange and advance scientific knowledge concerning head and neck tumors, particularly cancerous ones. In the long run, a merger with the Society of Surgical Oncology is desirable, but the initial step would be a coalition. The Society of Head and Neck surgeons should join with members of the Society of Surgical Oncology to explore ways to educate surgeons, at all levels, in the understanding and treatment of patients with cancer, including head and neck cancer. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Medicine, Surgery, Associations, Study and teaching, Cancer, Medical specialties, transcript, surgeons

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