A surgical subspecialist enhances general surgical operative experience.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of a surgical subspecialist on residents' operative experience in a mature general surgery training program.


METHODS
American Board of Surgery operative experience records were used to examine the impact of a surgical subspecialist on surgical training in a stable residency program. Operations performed as surgeon by residents in their chief and junior years were analyzed 4 years before and 4 years after the addition of this subspecialist to the faculty. Hospital admissions for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis during these periods were analyzed as well.


RESULTS
There was a statistically significant increase in the number of ileal pouch anal anastomoses, ileostomies, small-bowel resections, partial colectomies, and coloanal anastomoses performed by surgical residents after the addition of a colorectal surgical subspecialist.


CONCLUSIONS
Subspecialty faculty may favorably influence general surgical training by increasing resident operative experience and patient management skills with procedures characteristic of the subspecialty.
Galandiuk
S
S
Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Ky., USA.
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003082:Colectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000601:surgery; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007629:Kentucky; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce