title: The role of a preliminary PGY-3 in general surgery training.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even before the preliminary postgraduate year (PGY)-3 was eliminated from surgical residency, it had become increasingly difficult to fill general surgery PGY-4 vacancies. This ongoing need prompted the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) leadership to form a task force to study the possibility of requesting the restoration of the preliminary PGY-3 to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved general surgery residency programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The task force conducted a 10-year review of the APDS list serve to ascertain the number of advertised PGY-4 open positions. Following the review of the list serve, the task force sent IRB-approved electronic REDCap surveys to 249 program directors (PDs) in general surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The list serve review revealed more than 230 requests for fourth-year residents, a number that most likely underestimates the need, as such, vacancies are not always advertised through the APDS. A total of 119 PDs (~48%) responded. In the last 10 years, these 119 programs needed an average of 2 PGY-4 residents (range: 0-8), filled 1.3 positions (range: 0-7), and left a position unfilled 1.3 times (range: 0-7). Methods for finding PGY-4 residents included making personal contacts with other PDs (52), posting on the APDS Topica List Serve (47), and using the APDS Web site for interested candidates on residency and fellowship job listings (52). Reasons for needing a PGY-4 resident included residents leaving the program (82), extra laboratory years (39), remediation (31), and approved program expansion (21), as well as other issues. Satisfaction scores for the added PGY-4 residents were more negative (43) than positive (30). Problems ranged from lack of preparation to professionalism. When queried as to an optimal number of preliminary residents needed nationally at the PGY-3 level, responses varied from 0 to 50 (34 suggested 10).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey of PDs supports the need for the reintroduction of a limited number of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved preliminary PGY-3 positions in general surgery residency programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. Electronic address: Margaret.tarpley@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tarpley
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri at Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Way
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri at Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedell
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deveney
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.affiliation: Southern Illinois University, Springfield, Illinois.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mellinger
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Bradford
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarpley
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; Professionalism; career; general surgery; preliminary residents; surgical education