title: Is current surgical training efficient? A national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of surgical training in Denmark is competency based with no requirement for a specific number of procedures. This may affect monitoring of surgical progress adversely and cause an underestimation of the time needed to acquire surgical competencies. We investigated the number of common surgical procedures performed by trainees. Trainees' and consultants' expectations from the training program were also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to all 115 surgical trainees in Denmark. We asked how many common surgical procedures the trainees had performed during their postgraduate training, whether self-reported procedural confidence was achieved during their training, and whether their training expectations were met. Another questionnaire dealt with the consultants' expectations of the surgical training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of common surgical procedures (Lichtenstein hernia repair, appendectomy, laparoscopic appendectomy, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy) that were performed varied between trainees. One group performed few common procedures during training. A low number in 1 procedure correlated with a similar pattern in other procedures. Approximately one-third did not perform common elective procedures independently until their fifth year. Consultants and trainees viewed training differently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study reveals no common trend in the numbers and types of procedures performed during training. The number of procedures seems to reflect the individual trainee and a local tradition rather than the particular training program. An informal competency-based assessment system with lack of quantitative requirements evidently involves a risk of skewness in training.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Medical Education, Aarhus University, Incuba Science Park, Aarhus N, Denmark. Electronic address: cgc@medu.au.dk.
authors.forename: Charlotte Green
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Carlsen
authors.affiliation: NordSim, Center for Skills Training and Simulation, Aalborg University Hospital, Center for Science and Innovation, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindorff-Larsen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Institute, Aarhus University, Skejby Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Funch-Jensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.affiliation: Centre of Medical Education, Aarhus University, Incuba Science Park, Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne Mette
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morcke
authors.affiliation: Dag Hammarskjölds gade 4, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ipsen
authors.affiliation: Centre of Medical Education, Aarhus University, Incuba Science Park, Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Charles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection; D003718:Denmark; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; assessment; competency-based training; practice-based learning; surgery