Evolving Perceptions of the Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Training Program.

OBJECTIVE: In recent years, there has been a transition in plastic surgery residency training. Many programs across the country are now using integrated training modalities vs. independent training programs. This change in residency training has brought into question the effectiveness of integrated residency programs, in which medical students immediately enter the plastic surgery specialty upon graduation. This study assessed plastic surgery residency program directors and faculty members׳ viewpoints on the transition to integrated training programs and the effect this transition has had on the training of plastic surgery residents.

DESIGN: An anonymous 13-question survey was formulated using a pilot survey sent to members of the plastic surgery department at the University of Florida. The final survey was then electronically sent via SurveyMonkey.com to 92 current plastic surgery residency program directors. Program directors were identified via program lists provided by the American Council of Academic Surgeons. Program directors were then asked to forward the survey to faculty members of their respective institutions. Responses collected were analyzed via SurveyMonkey.com and Microsoft Excel.

SETTING: University of Florida College of Medicine, Department of Plastic Surgery.

PARTICIPANTS: Plastic surgery residency program directors as identified by the American Council of Academic Surgeons.

RESULTS: A response rate of 40.2% was achieved via 37 of the 92 plastic surgery program directors responding to the electronic survey. An additional 6 anonymous faculty members also responded to the survey, 13.9% of all responses. Institutions indicated that the majority was using integrated residency programs, with some institutions using both integrated and independent training programs simultaneously. Most respondents indicated that they supported the transition to the integrated residency program at their respective institutions. Respondents indicated several reasons as to why or why not programs have transitioned to the integrated program, with lack of funding being the primary indication of not making the transition. Upon responding with their level of agreement to several statements, respondents indicated that they agreed that the integrated training program is superior to the independent program and is not negatively effecting the specialty.

CONCLUSIONS: The transition to the integrated plastic surgery residency program is continuing to grow. Most respondents in this survey indicated their belief in the superiority of the integrated program. However, a large proportion of respondents stated that they neither agreed nor disagreed with several of the provided statements concerning which residency program is superior. Thus, further research is needed to discern whether or not the integrated program is in fact superior to the independent residency training program.