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Study notes changes needed for adequate training of new orthopedic surgeons
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A recent study conducted by investigators at the Hospital for Special Surgery has identified changes that are needed to orthopedic training programs.
The study appears in the January issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
“Before this study, we at Special Surgery thought that we were the only hospital dealing with these complicated challenges,” Laura Robbins, DSW, vice president of education and academic affairs at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) stated in an HSS press release. “As a result of this study, we have come to realize that as a nation, the prominent training programs around the country are grappling with these same issues.”
To identify the challenges faced by these programs, the investigators surveyed the heads of 17 orthopedic residency programs from across the country and gathered feedback from 12 of these program heads during a 2-day meeting held at HSS.
The respondents were asked whether the traditional resident training model is suited for training new orthopedic surgeons. They were also asked to discuss current methods that have been successfully used in orthopedic training programs, according to the release.
The investigators found that orthopedic training programs need to make the following changes:
- tackle compromises made to the learning experience due to work-hour restrictions;
- recognize a body of core orthopedic knowledge with specific goals and expectations;
- create benchmarks to gage and improve program effectiveness; and
- address challenges stemming from generational gaps between faculty and residents.
Robbins also noted the increased demand for orthopedic surgeons and said that more trainees need to be accepted into programs.
“We know from projections in studies that there won't be enough orthopedic surgeons in the future for the baby boomers who will need joint replacements,” Robbins stated in the release. “The groups that establish how many trainees you have and how many surgeons you need really need to be looking at this and making some very broad sweeping recommendations.”
Despite these concerns, Robbins noted that there have not been any specific recommendations on how to grapple with these issues.
“The common theme is that we have a problem as a country in training the orthopedic surgeons of tomorrow yet there are no specific solutions,” Robbins stated. “Our goal is to bring back this group in the spring to focus on coming up with specific recommendations.”
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