Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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Immigrants in the US face unique challenges in accessing healthcare. There have been several studies highlighting some of the barriers that this population faces; however, there is still a lack of robust research on this patient population in the context of surgical access and outcomes. ⋯ This makes it incredibly difficult to identify this population in the first place, resulting in a decreased ability to study this group retrospectively and, therefore, restricting the quantity and quality of research into these vulnerable patients. This article aims to provide a call to action for medical professionals to develop ways to accurately document immigration status in medical records while assuaging the concerns related to this documentation and its implications on patient care and confidentiality.
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Multicenter Study
Graduated Autonomy of Laparoscopic Liver Resection Based on Liver Resection Complexity: A Western and Eastern Bi-Institution Study for Learning Curve.
Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) requires a high degree of expertise in both hepatobiliary and minimally invasive surgery. Our group previously reportwed a 3-level LLR complexity classification based on intrapostoperative outcomes: grade I (low), grade II (intermediate), and grade III (high). We evaluated the learning curve effect in each complexity grade to assess the experience needed for a surgeon to safely progress through the grades. ⋯ A gradual progression in LLR per complexity grade as follow: 40 cases of low grade I procedures before starting intermediate complexity grade II procedures, and 30 cases of intermediate complexity grade II procedures before starting high complexity grade III procedures may ensure a safe implementation of high complexity LLR procedures.
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Existing research exploring predictors of success on American Board of Surgery (ABS) examinations focused on either resident or residency program characteristics, but limited studies focus on both. This study examines relationships between both resident and program characteristics and ABS qualifying (QE) and certifying examination (CE) outcomes. ⋯ This study highlights resident and program characteristics that predict success on ABS examinations. USMLE scores consistently and strongly related to ABS examination success, providing evidence that USMLE scores relate to future high-stakes consequences like board certification. After controlling for previous performance, gender, IMG, and program %IMG significantly related to ABS examination success, but effects were small.