Impact of a six-year integrated thoracic surgery training program at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
BACKGROUND
Thoracic residency program enrollment continues to decline. While job market and decreasing reimbursements are often cited as the main reasons, length of and format of training may also be significant.


METHODS
The Medical College of Wisconsin established an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved 6-year integrated thoracic training program. The number and characteristics of applicants to the 6-year program were then compared with previous applicants applying to the traditional 2-year program.


RESULTS
Applicants to the 6-year integrated program scored higher on the United States Medical Licensing Examination part 1 and part 2 than previous applicants to the traditional 2-year program. The 6-year applicants also were more published and a greater percentage of them held other advanced degrees.


CONCLUSIONS
Institution of a 6-year integrated thoracic surgery training program at the Medical College of Wisconsin led to a significant increase in number of applications. Additionally, the 6-year applicants appeared to be more academically accomplished than previous applicants to the traditional 2-year program. While early in the experience, it appears that interest in thoracic surgery is high among medical students and institution of a 6-year program has the potential to once again attract the "best and the brightest" to this specialty.
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA. mgasparr@mcw.edu
Mario G
MG
Gasparri
William B
WB
Tisol
Saqib
S
Masroor
D000328:Adult; D001319:Authorship; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013903:Thoracic Surgery / Q000193:education*; D013997:Time Factors; D014922:Wisconsin