Fall 2000 Residency Program Retreat/Results of Vote

Fall 2000 Residency Program Retreat/Results of Vote

1. Thoracic surgical graduate medical education can be improved through restructuring the prerequisite and requisite curriculum?

1. Agree Strongly 55%
2. Agree 40%
3. Disagree 4%
4. Disagree Strongly 0%

2. We should change the prerequisite and requisite curriculum to improve Thoracic Surgery graduate medical education.

1. Agree Strongly 43%
2. Agree 53%
3. Disagree 4%
4. Disagree Strongly 0%

3. What is the best approach to Thoracic Surgical Education in an ideal world?
1. Present residency system 14%
2. Core curriculum system (common to all specialties incl. general surgery) 41%
3. Directly out of medical school 27%
4. Foreshortened general surgical residency 18%

4. What is the best approach to Thoracic Surgical Education today?

1. Present residency system 41%
2. Foreshortened general surgery prerequisite 43%
3. Directly out of medical school 16%

5. If the present prerequisite residency system stays the same:

1. Thoracic residency should be two years 12%
2. Thoracic Surgery Residency should be three years 27%
3. Both options acceptable 62%

6. The optimal period of time for educating the modern cardiothoracic surgeon? (resident curriculum)

1. 2 years 4%
2. 2 ½ years 7%
3. 3 years 83%
4. greater than 3 years 5%

7. What should be the timing of the change (if changed)?

1. Gradual implementation 25%
2. Immediate implementation 13%
3. Wait for other specialties to have common core curriculum 5%
4. Voluntary implementation (pilot programs) 57%

8. How do we track the results of curriculum modification?

1. In-services scores 0%
2. ABTS scores 2%
3. Perception of recent graduates of faculty 3%
4. Task Force on outcomes 95%

9. When should we match the Thoracic Surgery Residents?

1. At end of medical school 0%
2. At the PGY ¾-year level of prerequisite training 50%
3. Both are acceptable and may occur simultaneously 50%

10. If the present system remains, what should be done with American Board of Surgery certification?

1. Optional 57%
2. Mandatory 43%

11. If general surgery does not go to a core curriculum, would you still favor a ¾ year core prerequisite program?

1. Yes 62%
2. No 38%

12. To develop programs that stimulate the interest of students in cardiothoracic surgery while they are in medical school, as well as during the surgical core experiences, so that they will be more likely to enter the specialty. Further, to work towards making cardiothoracic residencies more user-friendly in terms of less service requirements and more educational opportunities, and finally, to work toward encouraging women to enter the field of cardiothoracic surgery.

1. Agree Strongly 75%
2. Agree 23%
3. Disagree 1%
4. Disagree Strongly 1%

13. To agree that for the education of a cardiothoracic surgeon, a minimum residency program in a range of six years would be appropriate, which would consist of a categorical surgical core of three years, followed by a cardiothoracic residency of three years with a match to take place in the midportion of categorical PGY3.

1. Agree Strongly 20%
2. Agree 42%
3. Disagree 25%
4. Disagree Strongly 13%

14. To accept, as a tentative list, those prerequisite components as follows:
Pre-Requisites
Critical Care
Trauma
Nutrition
Infectious disease
Transfusion
Medicine
Surgical Oncology
Communication
Skills
Information
Technology
Radiology/imaging
Plastic
Endoscopy
Pediatric Surgery
Geriatrics
ENT
Transplantation/Immunology
Vascular
GI
Cardiac
Thoracic
Congenital
Electives

1. Agree Strongly 31%
2. Agree 55%
3. Disagree 14%
4. Disagree Strongly 0%

15. To accept, as a tentative list, those requisite components as follows:
Requisites
Echo
Cath
Lab/Electrophysiology/C
HF
Vascular Biology
Molecular Biology
General Thoracic
Oncology
Interventional Radiology
Imaging
Pulmonary Medicine
GI Medicine
Perfusion
Adult Cardiac
Pediatric Cardiac
Electives

1. Agree Strongly 22%
2. Agree 73%
3. Disagree 4%
4. Disagree Strongly 0%

16. To recommend that all cardiothoracic education programs be flexible to provide greater exposure in non-surgical fields and those fields of particular interest to residents.

1. Agree Strongly 41%
2. Agree 56%
3. Disagree 3%
4. Disagree Strongly 0%

17. That the core foundation of cardiothoracic surgery be defined by cardiothoracic surgeons who must participate in the educational process.

1. Agree Strongly 81%
2. Agree 15%
3. Disagree 4%
4. Disagree Strongly 0%

18. To accept the concept that certification by the American Board of Surgery may not be essential and to propose the restructuring of the curriculum necessary to train highly qualified cardiothoracic surgeons. 1. Agree Strongly 48%
2. Agree 27%
3. Disagree 14%
4. Disagree Strongly 11%

19. To continue to discuss these proposals with the constituencies of the joint council to identify problem areas and to bring such issues to the Joint Council at a meeting in six months.

1. Agree Strongly 65%
2. Agree 34%
3. Disagree 0%
4. Disagree Strongly 1%

20. Meet your colleagues

Location

1. NE 30%
2. SE 23%
3. Central 27%
4. NW 7%
5. SW 13%

Position

1. Program Director 52%
2. Associate Director 34%
3. Faculty 6%
4. Resident 8%

Practice

1. Adult 34%
2. Congenital 7%
3. General Thoracic 20%
4. Adult & Congenital 12%
5. Adult & General Thoracic 22%
6. Adult, Congenital & General Thoracic 5%

Based

1. University 83%
2. University affiliate 12%
3. Community 0%
4. Other 5%

Length of Program

1. 2-yr. program 60%
2. 3-yr. program 33%
3. Flexible 8%

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