Implementation of entrustable professional activities into fellowship council accredited programs: a pilot project.

OBJECTIVE: The Fellowship Council (FC) is transitioning to a competency-based medical education (CBME) model, including the introduction of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for training and assessment of Fellows. This study describes the implementation process employed by the FC during a ten-month pilot project and presents data regarding feasibility and perceived value. METHODS: The FC coordinated the development of EPAs in collaboration with the sponsoring societies for Advanced GI/MIS, Bariatrics, Foregut, Endoscopy and Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) fellowships encompassing the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of care for key competencies. Fifteen accredited fellowship programs participated in this project. The assessments were collected through a unique platform on the FC website. Programs were asked to convene a Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) on a quarterly basis. The pilot group met monthly to support and improve the process. An exit survey evaluated the perceived value of EPAs. RESULTS: The 15 participating programs included 18 fellows and 106 faculty. A total of 655 assessments were initiated with 429 (65%) completed. The average (SD) number of EPAs completed for each fellow was 24(18); range 0-72. Intraoperative EPAs were preferentially completed (71%). The average(SD) time for both the fellow and faculty to complete an EPA was 27(78) hours. Engagement increased from 39% of fellows completing at least one EPA in September to 72% in December and declining to 50% in May. Entrustment level increased from 6% of EPAs evaluated as "Practice Ready" in September to 75% in June. The exit survey was returned by 63% of faculty and 72% of fellows. Overall, 46% of fellows and 74% of program directors recommended full-scale implementation of the EPA framework. CONCLUSION: A competency-based assessment framework was developed by the FC and piloted in several programs. Participation was variable and required ongoing strategies to address barriers. The pilot project has prepared the FC to introduce CBME across all FC training programs.

A self-selecting prophecy: prevalence of burnout in surgical fellows.

BACKGROUND: Burnout has become a prominent topic, yet there are limited data on the manifestation of this phenomenon among surgical fellows. The goal of this study is to elucidate the prevalence of burnout and determine if there are protective or predisposing factors in surgical fellowship training. METHODS: A confidential electronic survey was distributed to Fellowship Council accredited fellows during the 2020-2021 academic year. Demographic information and training characteristics were queried. The fellows were then asked to complete the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Short Grit Scale (SGS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (SE). Data were analyzed using p values of ≤ 0.05 as statistically significant. RESULTS: At the end of the survey period, 92 out of 196 (46.9%) fellowship trainees responded. 69.6% of respondents identified as men, 29.7% as international medical school graduates (IMGs), and 15.3% non-US IMGs. Based on criteria defined by the MBI, there was an 8.4% rate of burnout. Most respondents noted low stress levels (62.3%), good satisfaction with life (58.9%), a moderate amount of grit, and a high level of self-esteem. On comparative analysis, fellows with burnout had significantly higher stress levels, lower levels of satisfaction with life, and less self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, there was a low rate of burnout among fellows. We suggest this may be reflective of a self-selecting effect, as trainees who choose to undergo additional training may be less likely to experience this syndrome. In addition, there may be a protective factor during fellowship that results from inherent mentoring, increased specialization, and autonomy. Further investigation of the predisposing factors to burnout in fellowship trainees is warranted based on the results of this study.

Esophagectomy in octogenarians: is it at a cost?

Background: Surgical intervention in the geriatric population has a higher risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality due to frailty, comorbidities, and lack of compensatory physiologic reserve. The literature on esophagectomy in octogenarians is limited and there is concern about elderly patients being with-held surgery. The purpose of this study is to analyze the outcomes of esophagectomies for esophageal cancer in octogenarians to assess the safety of esophagectomy in this population. Methods: 145 transhiatal esophagectomies performed for esophageal cancer between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed in this IRB approved study. Two aborted esophagectomies were excluded. Patient demographics, surgical outcomes, and oncologic outcomes were reviewed. The octogenarian group was analyzed compared to patients younger than 80 years of age. Results: Among 143 esophagectomies, 136 patients were <80 years old while 7 were ≥80 years old. Octogenarians received significantly less neoadjuvant therapy compared to younger patients (42.9% vs 80.2%, p = 0.02). No statistically significant difference was noted in complication rate, length of stay (LOS), estimated blood loss (EBL), or mortality. However, octogenarians were found to have an increase in severity of complications compared to younger patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that esophagectomy can be performed in carefully selected octogenarians. This comes at a cost with increased severity of complications without an increase in complication rates or mortality. This data suggests that esophagectomy can be offered selectively to older patients with clear expectations and planning for the high risk of more severe post-operative complications.

Gender disparities in gastrointestinal surgery fellowship programs.

BACKGROUND: Gender disparities in surgical leadership have come under increased scrutiny, and in order to better understand why these disparities exist, it is important to study the disparities across surgical fellowship programs. METHODS: Data derived from the Fellowship Council (FC) database for fellows completing training from academic years 2015-2019 were analyzed. Available information included institution, fellowship type, program director (PD), associate program director (APD), faculty, and fellow names for all FC Fellowships. Faculty and fellow gender were determined from personal knowledge or publicly available online biographical information. RESULTS: A total of 1023 fellows and 221 programs were analyzed. The advanced gastrointestinal (GI)/minimally invasive surgery (MIS) fellowship programs included 321 fellows, with a small increase in the percentage of female fellows from 28 to 31% over 5 years. Advanced GI/MIS/bariatric fellowship programs had a total of 262 fellows, also with a small increase in the percent of female fellows, from 29 to 38% in the study period. The gender of program directors, assistant program directors, and faculty for the fellowship programs studied were analyzed as well. Of the 221 programs in the Fellowship Council data, 13.6% of program directors, 18.3% of associate program directors, and 19.9% of faculty were female. Advanced GI/MIS fellowship programs had the lowest percentage of female PDs, with only 9.3% of the program directors being female. Colorectal surgery fellowships had the highest percentage of female PDs, with 33% being female. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, women are underrepresented in gastrointestinal surgery fellowships among both trainees and educators. It is likely that a significant contributing factor to this underrepresentation of female fellows is the underrepresentation of female program directors and faculty; although neither our study nor any previously published study has proven that statistically.

Mastery skill assessment in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgical ultrasound: It's a Matter of Entrustment.

BACKGROUND: A formative hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) ultrasound (US) skills practicum is offered annually to graduating HPB fellows, using entrustment assessments for open (IOUS) and laparoscopic (LAPUS) US. It is hypothesized that validity evidence will support the use of these assessments to determine if graduating fellows are well prepared to perform HPB US independently. METHODS: Expert faculty were surveyed to set Mastery Entrustment standards for fellow performance. Standards were applied to fellow performances during two annual US skills practicums. RESULTS: 11 faculty questionnaires were included. Mean Entrustment cut scores across all items were 4.9/5.0 and 4.8/5.0 and Global Entrustment cut scores were 5.0/5.0 and 4.8/5.0 for IOUS and LAPUS, respectively. 78.5% (29/37) fellows agreed to have their de-identified data evaluated. Mean fellow Entrustments (across all skills) were 4.1 (SD 0.6; 2.6-4.9) and 3.9 (SD 0.7; 2.7-5), while the Global Entrustments were 3.6 (SD 0.8; 2-5) and 3.5 (SD 1.0; 2-5) for IOUS and LAPUS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Two cohorts of graduating HPB fellows are not meeting Mastery Standards for HPB US performance determined by a panel of expert faculty.

Training Paradigms in Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery: an Overview of the Different Fellowship Pathways.

Hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgery, and the training of HPB surgeons, has evolved significantly over the last several decades. The current state of training in HPB surgery in North America is defined through three main pathways: the Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO) ACGME fellowship, the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) fellowship, and the Americas Hepatopancreaticobiliary Association (AHPBA) fellowship. These fellowships offer variable experiences in pancreas, liver, and biliary cases, and each pathway offers a unique perspective on HPB surgery. The CGSO ACGME, ASTS, and AHPBA fellowships represent decades of work by the three major surgical leadership stakeholders to improve and ensure quality training of future HPB surgeons. The best care is provided by the HPB surgeon who has been trained to understand the importance of all available treatment options within the context of a multidisciplinary setting. The three fellowship pathways are outlined in this paper with the nuances and variations characteristic of the different training programs highlighted.

Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery Fellowship Programs: Filling a Gap in Surgical Training?

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the 1-year Advanced Gastrointestinal (AGI) surgery fellowship is to train the general surgeon to perform advanced and complex operations that they had insufficient experience with in residency training. This study examines the case logs of AGI fellows that have completed Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT)-sponsored Fellowship Council (FC)-accredited AGI fellowships to determine the role of these fellowships in providing complex gastrointestinal operative experience. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective surgical case log analysis. Case logs of 60 AGI fellows in 12 different AGI fellowships from 2014 to 2019 were requested by the SSAT and provided in a de-identified format from the FC. Cases were categorized as colorectal surgery, anus, hernia-abdomen, hernia inguinal, esophagus-hiatal hernia, esophagus-Heller, pancreas, liver, bile duct, diagnostic/therapeutic esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), diagnostic/therapeutic colonoscopy, thoracic esophagus, thoracic lung, spleen, thyroid, diaphragm, gastric, abdomen, adrenal/kidney, bariatric, diagnostic/therapeutic bronchoscopy, kidney/liver/pancreas transplant, and trauma. RESULTS: AGI fellows performed a mean of 345 cases per year (range: 184-558). Our results showed that 5 programs provided >30 colorectal cases, 6 provided >50 hernia (hernia-abdomen and hernia-inguinal) cases, 8 provided >25 hiatal hernia cases, 2 provided >100 endoscopy cases (diagnostic/therapeutic EGD and diagnostic/therapeutic colonoscopy), 6 provided >30 gastric cases, 3 provided >100 bariatric cases, 6 provided >10 pancreas cases, 3 provided >10 liver cases, and 4 provided >6 biliary cases. CONCLUSION: SSAT-sponsored FC-accredited AGI fellowship programs provide a wide array of training in complex gastrointestinal surgeries. Most programs provide broad training in hiatal work, colorectal surgery, hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery, and abdominal wall reconstruction. This FC-accredited AGI training paradigm prepares trainees for broad-based complex abdominal surgery, an area that is sorely needed to augment insufficient experience in many general surgical training programs.

Advanced Gastrointestinal Surgery Fellowship Graduates Are Desirable to Current US General Surgery Practices: Results of a SSAT Sponsored Survey.

BACKGROUND: Fellowship training after surgery residency has become commonplace. The concept of an advanced gastrointestinal (AGI) surgical fellowship has been implemented through the SSAT and Fellowship Council (FC). Newer and more competitive requirements are being proposed through a taskforce inclusive of many surgical societies. This study was designed to measure the interest in hiring graduates of AGI fellowship. METHOD: This is a SSAT sponsored 20-question survey which was sent out to the Society members in general surgery practices (mix of hospital based and private) across the USA through an online electronic survey software (SurveyMonkey, Palo Alto, Ca.). Descriptive statistics were generated from aggregate survey responses. RESULTS: We had a total of 285 responses. Majority (92%) preferred hiring a surgeon who has completed a post-graduate fellowship. Type of fellowship preferred by the prospective employers varied depending on the focus and the need of the individual practice. Most important characteristic that the employers sought were references, letters of recommendation, and work ethic, followed by technical skills, and completion of fellowship. Most of the responders felt that a complex GI surgery fellowship may be an attractive qualification in prospective job candidates. CONCLUSION: Our survey showed that the majority of surgery practices in the US prefer fellowship-trained candidates as potential hires. Only a small minority (< 20%) of those surveyed felt that completing an AGI fellowship would not give prospective candidates an advantage in obtaining a job. Our results indicate a growing need for a AGI surgery fellowship.

Providing complex GI surgical care with minimally invasive approaches: a survey of the practice patterns of Fellowship Council alumni.

INTRODUCTION: The Fellowship Council (FC) oversees 172 non-ACGME surgical fellowships offering 211 fellowship positions per year. These training programs cover multiple specialties including Advanced gastrointestinal (GI), Advanced GI/MIS, Bariatric, Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB), Flexible Endoscopy, Colorectal, and Thoracic Surgery. Although some data have been published detailing the practice environments (i.e., urban vs. rural) and yearly total case volumes of FC alumni, there is a lack of granular data regarding the practice patterns of FC graduates. The aim of this study was to gather detailed data on the specific case types performed and surgical approaches employed by recent FC alumni. METHODS: A 21-item survey covering 64 data points was emailed to 835 FC alumni who completed their fellowship between 2013 and 2017. Email addresses were obtained from FC program directors and FC archives. RESULTS: We received 327 responses (39% response rate). HPB, Advanced Colorectal, and Advanced Thoracic alumni appear to establish practices focused on their respective fields. Graduates from Advanced GI, Adv GI/MIS, and Bariatric programs appear to build practices with a mix of several complex GI case types including bariatrics, colorectal, foregut, HPB, and hernia cases. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large data set to provide granular information on the practice patterns of FC alumni. FC trained surgeons perform impressive volumes of complex procedures, and minimally invasive approaches are extremely prevalent in these practices. Further, many graduates carve out practices with large footprints in robotics and endoscopy.

Expectations of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Fellows; Do We Meet Them?

OBJECTIVE: There are 16 accredited hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) fellowships in North America. The purpose of this study is to portray the expectations of the incoming HPB fellows about their training and its implication on their career. DESIGN: A 29-questions survey was sent out to all HPB fellows starting in August 2017. The survey was divided in 3 sections depicting background, in-training and postfellowship expectations. Descriptive statistics were generated for aggregate survey responses. SETTING: This study was performed through an online questionnaire that was sent to the participants via e-mail. The answers were processed in our offices in Methodist Richardson Medical Center, in Richardson, Texas which is a private tertiary medical center part of the Methodist Health System. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were all incoming HPB Fellows (In HPB fellowship programs accredited by the Fellowship Council) starting their fellowship in August 2017. RESULTS: We had a 94% response rate. Forty-six percent of fellows anticipate doing about 150 to 250 HPB cases during the fellowship, and all 15 fellows anticipate having at least 1 publication during fellowship. Despite that >90% of fellows believe that minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approaches will be more frequently utilized in HPB surgery, only 3/15 anticipate being able to apply MIS techniques and only 54% will be robotically trained. Interestingly the majority of fellows believe that the attending should be performing the case the first few months. CONCLUSION: The trainees believe that case volume is the most important factor for choosing a fellowship and for adequate training. Most of the fellows anticipate doing adequate number of cases but only the minority feels they will be adequately trained in MIS-robotic techniques.

Perception versus reality: elucidating motivation and expectations of current fellowship council minimally invasive surgery fellows.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study is to determine minimally invasive trainee motivation and expectations for their respective fellowship. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is one of the largest non-ACGME post-residency training pathways though little is known concerning the process of residents choosing MIS as a fellowship focus. As general surgery evolves, it is important to understand resident motivation in order to better prepare them for a surgical career. METHODS: A survey invitation was sent to current trainees in the Minimally Invasive and related pathways through the Fellowship Council. The participants were asked to complete a web-based questionnaire detailing demographics, experiences preparing for fellowship, motivation in choosing an MIS fellowship, and expectations for surgical practice after fellowship. RESULTS: Sixty-seven MIS trainees responded to the survey out of 151 invitations (44%). The Fellowship Council website, mentors, and other fellows were cited as the most helpful source of information when applying for fellowship. Trainees were active in surgical societies as residents, with 78% having membership in the ACS and 60% in SAGES. When deciding to pursue MIS as a fellowship, the desire to increase laparoscopic training was the most important factor. The least important reasons cited were lack of laparoendoscopic training in residency and desire to learn robotic surgery. The majority of trainees believed their laparoscopic skill set was above that of their residency cohort (81%). The most desired post-fellowship employment model is hospital employee (46%) followed by private practice (27%). Most fellows plan on marketing themselves as MIS surgeons (90%) or General Surgeons (78%) when in practice. CONCLUSIONS: Residents who choose MIS as a fellowship have a strong exposure to laparoscopy and want to become specialists in their field. Mentors and surgical societies including ACS and SAGES play a vital role in preparing residents for fellowship and practice.

Qualities and characteristics of successfully matched North American HPB surgery fellowship candidates.

BACKGROUND: Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) fellowships in North America are difficult to secure with an acceptance rate of 1 in 3 applicants. Desirable characteristics in an HPB surgery applicant have not been previously reported. This study examines the perceptions of trainees and HPB program directors with regards to positive attributes in applicants for HPB fellowships. METHODS: Parallel surveys were distributed by email with a web-link to current and recent HPB fellows in North America (from the past 5 years) with questions addressing the following domains: surgical training, research experience, and mentorship. A similar survey was distributed to HPB fellowship program directors in North America requesting their opinion as to the importance of these characteristics in potential applicants. RESULTS: 32 of 60 of surveyed fellows and 21 of 38 of surveyed program directors responded between November 2014-February 2015. Fellows overall came from fairly diverse backgrounds (13/32 were overseas medical graduates) about one third of respondents having had some prior research experience. Program directors gave priority to the applicant's interview, curriculum vitae, and their recommendation letters (in order of importance). Both the surveyed fellows and program directors felt that the characteristics most important in a successful HPB fellowship candidate include interpersonal skills, perceived operative skills, and perceived fund of knowledge. CONCLUSION: Results of this survey provide useful and practical information for trainees considering applying to an HPB fellowship program.

White Paper: SSAT Commitment to Workforce Diversity and Healthcare Disparities.

The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Track (SSAT) is committed to diversity and inclusiveness of its membership, promotion of research related to healthcare disparities, cultural competency of practicing gastrointestinal surgeons, and cultivation of leaders with unique perspectives. The SSAT convened a task force to assess the current state of diversity and inclusion and recommend sustainable initiatives to promote these goals. Working through the current committee structure of the Society, and by establishing a permanent Diversity and Inclusion liaison committee, the SSAT will maintain its commitment and strive towards diversity of thought and inclusiveness on every level to improve the well-being and betterment of its membership and the patients they serve.

Building the Nonuniversity, Tertiary Care Center Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Practice: Structural and Financial Considerations.

Early in their careers, many new surgeons lack the background and experience to understand essential components needed to build a surgical practice. Surgical resident education is often devoid of specific instruction on the business of medicine and practice management. In particular, hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HPB) surgeons require many key components to build a successful practice secondary to significant interdisciplinary coordination and a scope of complex surgery, which spans challenging benign and malignant disease processes. In the following, we describe the required clinical and financial components for developing a successful HPB surgery practice in the nonuniversity tertiary care center. We discuss significant financial considerations for understanding community need and hospital investment, contract establishment, billing, and coding. We summarize the structural elements and key personnel necessary for establishing an effectual HPB surgical team. This article provides useful, essential information for a new HPB surgeon looking to establish a surgical practice. It also provides insight for health-care administrators as to the value an HPB surgeon can bring to a hospital or health-care system.

Training and practice of the next generation HPB surgeon: analysis of the 2014 AHPBA residents' and fellows' symposium survey.

BACKGROUND: Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery is a complex subspecialty drawing from varied training pools, and the need for competency is rapidly growing. However, no board certification process or standardized training metrics in HPB surgery exist in the Americas. This study aims to assess the attitudes of current trainees and HPB surgeons regarding the state of training, surgical practice and the HPB surgical job market in the Americas. STUDY DESIGN: A 20-question survey was distributed to members of Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA) with a valid e-mail address who attended the 2014 AHPBA. Descriptive statistics were generated for both the aggregate survey responses and by training category. RESULTS: There were 176 responses with evenly distributed training tracks; surgical oncology (44, 28%), transplant (39, 24.8%) and HPB (38, 24.2%). The remaining tracks were HPB/Complex gastrointestinal (GI) and HPB/minimally invasive surgery (MIS) (29, 16% and 7, 4%). 51.2% of respondents thought a dedicated HPB surgery fellowship would be the best way to train HPB surgeons, and 68.1% felt the optimal training period would be a 2-year clinical fellowship with research opportunities. This corresponded to the 67.5% of the practicing HPB surgeons who said they would prefer to attend an HPB fellowship for 2 years as well. Overall, most respondents indicated their ideal job description was clinical practice with the ability to engage in clinical and/or outcomes research (52.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This survey has demonstrated that HPB surgery has many training routes and practice patterns in the Americas. It highlights the need for specialized HPB surgical training and career education. This survey shows that there are many ways to train in HPB. A 2-year HPB fellowship was felt to be the best way to train to prepare for a clinically active HPB practice with clinical and outcomes research focus.

Training in Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery: Assessment of the Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Workforce in North America.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the current status of Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) Surgery workforce in North America. BACKGROUND: HPB fellowships have proliferated, with HPB surgeons entering the field through 3 pathways: transplant surgery, surgical oncology, or HPB surgery training. Impact of this growth is unknown. METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed to 654 is used as HPB surgeons from October 2012 to January 2013. Questions evaluated satisfaction with job availability after training and description of current practice. Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 2003 to 2010 was queried to describe the growth of HPB cases in the United States; these data were compared to prior HPB workforce projections performed using 2003 NIS data. RESULTS: A total of 416 HPB surgeons responded (66%). HPB surgeons are concentrated in a small number of states/provinces with a lack of HPB surgeon workforce in central United States. HPB graduates from 2008 to 2012 report increased difficulty in identifying an HPB-focused practice versus prior to 2008. Mature HPB surgery practices report a composition of 25% to 50% non-HPB operative cases. Fifty-one percent of respondents reported an opinion that current HPB Surgeon production was excessive; however, 2010 NIS data demonstrate that major HPB surgery cases have grown significantly more than was previously projected using 2003 NIS data. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A cohesive strategy for responsibly responding to the HPB surgical workforce requirements of North America is needed. Elevation of training standards, standardization of requirements for certification, and careful modeling that accounts for regionalization of care should be pursued to prevent overtraining and decentralization of HPB surgical care in the future.

Are general surgery residents adequately prepared for hepatopancreatobiliary fellowships? A questionnaire-based study.

BACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to assess the preparedness of hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) fellows upon entering fellowship, identify challenges encountered by HPB fellows during the initial part of their HPB training, and identify potential solutions to these challenges that can be applied during residency training. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to all HPB fellows in accredited HPB fellowship programmes in two consecutive academic years (n = 42). Reponses were then analysed. RESULTS: A total of 19 (45%) fellows responded. Prior to their fellowship, 10 (53%) were in surgical residency and the rest were in other surgical fellowships or surgical practice. Thirteen (68%) were graduates of university-based residency programmes. All fellows felt comfortable in performing basic laparoscopic procedures independently at the completion of residency and less comfortable in performing advanced laparoscopy. Eight (42%) fellows cited a combination of inadequate case volume and lack of autonomy during residency as the reasons for this lack of comfort. Thirteen (68%) identified inadequate preoperative workup and management as their biggest fear upon entering practice after general surgery training. A total of 17 (89%) fellows felt they were adequately prepared to enter HPB fellowship. Extra rotations in transplant, vascular or minimally invasive surgery were believed to be most helpful in preparing general surgery residents pursing HPB fellowships. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, HPB fellows felt themselves to be adequately prepared for fellowship. Advanced laparoscopic procedures and the perioperative management of complex patients are two of the challenges facing HPB fellows. General surgery residents who plan to pursue an HPB fellowship may benefit from spending extra rotations on certain subspecialties. Focus on perioperative workup and management should be an integral part of residency and fellowship training.

Estimating the need for hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgeons in the USA.

BACKGROUND: Hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) fellowship training has risen in popularity in recent years and hence large numbers of graduating fellows enter the workforce each year. Studies have proposed that the increase in HPB-trained surgeons will outgrow demand in the USA. This study shows that the need for HPB-trained surgeons refers not to the meeting of demand in terms of case volume, but to improving patient access to care. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for the years 2005-2011 was queried for CPT codes relating to pancreatic, liver and biliary surgical cases. These numbered 6627 in 2005 and increased to 8515 in 2011. Cases were then mapped to corresponding states. The number of procedures in an individual state was divided by the total number of procedures to give a ratio for each state. A similar ratio was calculated for the population of each state to the national population. These ratios were combined to give a ratio by state of observed to expected HPB surgical cases. RESULTS: Of the 46 states that participate in the NIS, only 18 achieved ratios of observed to expected cases of >1. In the remaining 28 states, the number of procedures was lower than that expected according to each state's population. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the USA is underserved in terms of HPB surgery. Given the growing number of HPB-trained physicians entering the job market, this sector should focus on bringing understanding and management of complex disease to areas of the country that are currently in need.

General surgery residency inadequately prepares trainees for fellowship: results of a survey of fellowship program directors.

OBJECTIVE: To assess readiness of general surgery graduate trainees entering accredited surgical subspecialty fellowships in North America. METHODS: A multidomain, global assessment survey designed by the Fellowship Council research committee was electronically sent to all subspecialty program directors. Respondents spanned minimally invasive surgery, bariatric, colorectal, hepatobiliary, and thoracic specialties. There were 46 quantitative questions distributed across 5 domains and 1 or more reflective qualitative questions/domains. RESULTS: There was a 63% response rate (n = 91/145). Of respondent program directors, 21% felt that new fellows arrived unprepared for the operating room, 38% demonstrated lack of patient ownership, 30% could not independently perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and 66% were deemed unable to operate for 30 unsupervised minutes of a major procedure. With regard to laparoscopic skills, 30% could not atraumatically manipulate tissue, 26% could not recognize anatomical planes, and 56% could not suture. Furthermore, 28% of fellows were not familiar with therapeutic options and 24% were unable to recognize early signs of complications. Finally, it was felt that the majority of new fellows were unable to conceive, design, and conduct research/academic projects. Thematic clustering of qualitative data revealed deficits in domains of operative autonomy, progressive responsibility, longitudinal follow-up, and scholarly focus after general surgery education.

Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery: what is the right fellowship for the right training?

BACKGROUND: Reduced resident work hours over the last several years have led to inadequate exposure to hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) and complex upper gastrointestinal (UGI) surgical procedures. Therefore, residents are seeking additional training in this field. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of a new fellowship model in the training of general surgery residents in complex HPB/UGI diseases. METHODS: We propose a surgical training model in benign as well as malignant diseases of the UGI tract. The proposed model would focus on an integrated approach that involves allied specialties such as gastroenterology (GI) and radiology. RESULTS: The fellowship was set as 1-year duration with 1-month rotations on interventional GI and transplantation. The fellow spent the remaining 10 months on a UGI laparoscopic and open surgery service caring for complex benign and malignant disease of the esophagus, stomach, bile duct, pancreas, and liver. Didactic conferences were focused specifically at an organ-based approach to diseases of these organs. During a 12-month fellowship, exposure to complex diseases of the UGI tract was accomplished without negatively impacting the general surgery residency program. CONCLUSION: This new mode of advanced training provides a bridge between surgical oncology and transplantation, and it is an excellent model for postgraduate surgical training in UGI diseases.