The state of burn care training during general surgery residency

Abstract

Introduction

There is an ongoing shortage of burn specialists and workforce reports suggest possible hurdles attracting general surgeons into burn care. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to (1) determine the state of burn care in general surgery residency and (2) identify what barriers might exist for general surgeons pursuing a practice that involves burn care.

Methods

Surveys were distributed to United States general surgery program directors and residents, respectively, during the 2022–2023 academic year.

Results

A total of 250 general surgery residents (9 %) across 48 programs responded. Burn care was felt to be an important component in training by most program directors (82 %) and residents (81 %). One third of residents who had completed a burn rotation felt it increased their interest in burn care. Nearly two thirds of residents without a formal rotation felt that a burn rotation would be valuable. Regardless of whether the residents had exposure to burn care, 50 % of participants were interested in a career that involved some degree of burn care. The top factors that would discourage a trainee from practicing burn care in the future included the narrow scope of practice (44 %), nature of burn operations (43 %), nature of burn care (39 %), and insufficient exposure during their training (32 %).

Conclusion

This study indicates that burn rotations in general surgery training are important in establishing interest in burn care, as well as correcting the shortage of burn surgeons. Lack of sufficient exposure to burn care is one of the top factors discouraging trainees from a career in burn surgery.