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What Factors Influence Surgery Residents to Drop Out of Their Program?

Discussion in 'General Surgery' started by Dr.Scorpiowoman, Apr 12, 2018.

  1. Dr.Scorpiowoman

    Dr.Scorpiowoman Golden Member

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    The aim of a recent JAMA Surgery study[1] was to identify factors that were associated with drop out of surgical residents from training programs. The authors identified 836 residents entering categorical general surgery training programs in 2007 and then followed the group for a 9-year period.

    During the follow-up period, 164 residents left the program, with the highest dropout rate (13%) occurring in the first year. In a multivariate analysis, the following groups were more likely to leave a surgical training program: females (odds ratio [OR], 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.94), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.06-2.76), and individuals undergoing training in a military program (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.36-5.29)

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    The high dropout rate for surgical residents was the stimulus for undertaking this informative study. About one fifth of all residents entering categorical surgical programs never complete their surgical training—a rate that is higher than in other specialties.


    This may be caused by surgical programs being more demanding than other programs. Early dropout (within the first year) may, as the authors suggested, be caused by a mismatch of expectations and experience. Delayed dropout was greater in females and in minority groups—two groups that are already underrepresented in the national workforce.

    A more flexible approach and developing programs allowing for childcare might reduce dropout rates, particularly for female residents. One finding of interest was that the dropout rate was higher in large compared with small programs, suggesting that personal attention to residents and earlier recognition of their concerns and problems are more likely in smaller programs and may be an important factor in resident retention.

    References
    1. Yeo HL, Abelson JS, Symer MM, et al. Association of time to attrition in surgical residency with individual resident and programmatic factors. JAMA Surg. 2018 Feb 21. [Epub ahead of print]
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