Journal of surgical education
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The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of weekly didactic grand rounds presentations. ⋯ Approximately 40% of material presented at grand rounds was retained within a 9 month period. Although this number seems low, this information was recalled without preparation. Despite the preference for distinguished guest speakers, there was no significant additional gain in knowledge from their expertise. Presentations from senior residents were the most successful in conveying information.
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Comparative Study
Four-year experience with a regional program providing simulation-based endovascular training for vascular surgery fellows.
High-fidelity procedure simulation has been found useful for training vascular surgery residents in endovascular procedures, but the costs of acquiring, maintaining, and operating simulators represent a barrier to routine use of endovascular simulation in vascular surgery programs. Providing simulation training opportunities through regional centers may make simulation more cost effective, but the costs and benefits of this approach have not been reported previously. We reviewed participation costs in a regional simulation program to provide a benchmark for comparison with other training options. ⋯ Vascular surgery fellows' participation in simulation training at regional centers offers program directors a lower cost alternative for providing high-fidelity simulation training, compared with acquiring and operating an endovascular procedure simulator at their individual institutions.
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Comparative Study
Factors correlated with surgery resident choice to practice general surgery in a rural area.
General surgery workforce shortages in the rural United States are likely to worsen over the next decade. We sought to identify reasons that general surgery residency graduates choose rural versus urban practice. ⋯ General surgery residency graduates and their spouses who choose rural practices are more likely than those selecting urban practices to have rural backgrounds and interests. Completing a rural clerkship during medical school and choosing a residency program committed to rural general surgery preparation are strongly correlated with rural practice. These findings may help formulate strategies to increase recruitment and retention of rural general surgeons.
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The objective of this study was to assess the factors that impact residency choice by general surgery applicants and the importance of the availability of skill curricula. ⋯ The main determinants of the applicants' choice of a general surgery program are the quality of life of the residents and the anticipated clinical experience and curriculum quality. The availability of organized skills curricula is low in the applicant priorities, but it does influence their decision-making process. These findings may help program directors to optimize their residency curriculum and interviewing process.