Do increased training requirements in gastrointestinal endoscopy and advanced laparoscopy necessitate a paradigm shift? A survey of program directors in surgery.

Background Many modifications to the traditional residency model contribute to the ongoing paradigm shift in surgical education; yet, the frequency and manner by which such changes occur at various institutions is less clear. To address this issue, our study examined the variability in endoscopy and laparoscopy training, the potential impact of new requirements, and opinions of Program Directors in Surgery (PDs). Methods A 22-item online survey was sent to 251 PDs in the United States. Appropriate parametric tests determined significance. Results In all, 105 (42%) PDs responded. No difference existed in response rates among university (56.2%), university-affiliated/community (30.5%), or community (13.3%) program types (p = 0.970). Surgeons alone (46.7%) conducted most endoscopy training with a trend toward multidisciplinary teams (43.8%). A combination of fellowship-trained minimally invasive surgeons and other surgeon types (66.7%) commonly provided laparoscopy training. For adequate endoscopy experience in the future, most PDs (74.3%) plan to require a formal flexible endoscopy rotation (p Conclusions PDs employ and may implement varied tools to meet the increased requirements in endoscopy and laparoscopy. With such variability in educational methodology, establishment of a national surgical education curriculum is very important to most PDs.