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Canadian general surgery residents’ need formal curricula and objective performance assessments in gastrointestinal endoscopy training: a program director census

  • 2018 SAGES Oral
  • Published:
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Abstract

Introduction

Methods of developing and determining General Surgery (GS) residents’ competency in gastrointestinal endoscopy in Canada are not currently standardized. This study aimed to assess the status of gastrointestinal endoscopy training in Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) GS residency programs.

Methods

A 35-question survey was developed using GS gastrointestinal endoscopy curricula guidelines. All 17 RCPSC GS program directors were contacted to complete the questionnaire via the web-based SurveyMonkey.ca® platform.

Results

All 17 program directors completed the survey (100% response rate). Program demographics Sixteen programs reported having dedicated endoscopy rotations with a mean duration of 2.8 months (range 0–4, SD 1.1). Upon completion of dedicated endoscopy rotations, four programs (25%) reported having formal skills assessments and three (18.8%) reported formal knowledge examinations. All programs required endoscopy procedures be logged throughout residency, but only three (21.4%) included quality indicators. Only one program required residents to obtain Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery certification. Program outcomes The reported estimated mean number of procedures during residents’ endoscopy rotations was 82 (range 10–150, standard deviation 33.6) gastroscopies and 156 (40–350, 76.3) colonoscopies. The mean number of procedures during residents’ entire residencies was 150 (20–400, 98.6) gastroscopies and 241 (50–500, 76.3) colonoscopies. The number of months of dedicated endoscopy training significantly correlated with the total estimated number of endoscopic procedures performed (ρ = 0.67, p = 0.02). Eleven program directors (73.3%) believed residents were prepared for independent endoscopy practice, while four disagreed (26.7%). Program directors’ perceptions of residents’ preparedness were significantly correlated with the number of endoscopic procedures performed by residents (p < 0.01) but not the robustness of the endoscopy curriculum (p = 0.72).

Conclusion

Endoscopy training in RCPSC GS residency programs is highly variable. Program directors’ perceptions of residents’ competency appear to be significantly correlated with procedure numbers and few have adopted formal curricula and performance assessments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of General Surgery, St. Boniface General Hospital, University of Manitoba, Z3039-409 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R2H 2A6, Canada

    Megan Delisle, Courtney Chernos, Jason Park, Krista Hardy & Ashley Vergis

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  1. Megan Delisle
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  2. Courtney Chernos
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  3. Jason Park
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Correspondence to Ashley Vergis.

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Drs. Delisle, Chernos, Park, Hardy, and Vergis have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.

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Delisle, M., Chernos, C., Park, J. et al. Canadian general surgery residents’ need formal curricula and objective performance assessments in gastrointestinal endoscopy training: a program director census. Surg Endosc 32, 5012–5020 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-018-6364-0

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