• Deirdre M Nally, Dara Kavanagh, Oscar Traynor, and Deirdre Bennett.
• Department of Surgical Affairs, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland.
• Ann. Surg. 2022 Apr 1; 275 (4): 621628621-628.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the trainee experience to identify some of the factors which contribute to attrition from surgical training.Summary BackgroundNot all trainees who commence a surgical training program continue and complete it. Surgical training can be personally and professionally demanding and trainees may, for a multitude of reasons, change career direction. Attrition from surgical training impacts upon multiple stakeholders: A decision to leave may be difficult and time consuming for the individual and can generate unanticipated inefficiency at a systems level. This project examined attrition from a national surgical training program to deepen understanding of some of the causes of the phenomenon.MethodsA qualitative study was performed. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to identify representative participants. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eleven trainees who withdrew or considered doing so. A thematic analysis was performed to examine the experiences of trainees and explore the factors which influenced a decision to withdraw.FindingsFive major themes emerged from the interview data: delivery of training, the training atmosphere, influence of seniors, concerns regarding progression, and the perception of the future role with respect to lifestyle.ConclusionsThe personal experience of surgical training is crucial in informing a decision to withdraw from a program. Voluntary attrition is appropriate where doctors, after experiencing some time in surgical training, recognize that a surgical career does not meet their expectation. However, improving the delivery of training by addressing the concerns identified in this study may serve to enhance the personal training experience and hence maximize retention.Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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