Surgical residency programme: Training, teaching, and evaluation in general surgery - A peer opinion poll in five medical colleges in northern India

Background: Teaching, training, and evaluation in general surgery has not been peer reviewed in India. An archaic 3 years residency, thesis writing, and evaluation at the end of 3 years leading to award of master's degree (MS) in general surgery has continued since 1950s. Immense growth in knowledge, emergence of new sub-specialties and surgical technologies has mandated a change in the existing surgical residency programme. Aim: To obtain a peer opinion on the existing surgical residency programme. Setting and Design: Cross sectional survey, 70 residents and 25 surgical teachers of five medical institutions, a pilot study in northern India. Materials and Methods: A close ended, interviewer-administered questionnaire based on 5-point Likert scale with 25 items of teaching, training, and evaluation on existing PG surgical residency programme. Results: Majority subjects felt that thesis was an important part of learning experience and it should continue. Opportunity to assist senior surgeons was adequate, but seniors should also assist the resident surgeon under training, a mentor-mentee type training pattern should be evolved, multiple evaluations on content, surgical skills, ethical, and managerial skills should evolve rather than a single examination conducted by internal/external examiners at the place of training after 3 years. A 5-years MCh in general surgery for academically oriented students including exclusive training in minimally invasive procedures, clinical epidemiology, pre-hospital and trauma management, and vascular surgery was suggested by many responders for a limited number of seats in general suregry. Conclusion: Broad-based training during general surgical residency in theoretical knowledge, open and endoscopic surgical skills, research methodology, critical appraisal, ethics and inter-personal skills should be part of revised programme along with multi-point evaluation and thesis writing.