7-year G. surg. residencies

[LuckyMD2b]

Hey All,

I was just curious as to the benefits of the general surgery residencies that are 7-years long. Requiring a manditory 2years of research. First of all, are many programs moving towards this?

What are the possible benefits/set-backs of committing to a gen. surgery residency for an extra few years?

Is it similar to being a junior faculty member?

--A resident told me that during those two years, there are no clinical responsibilities, but moon-lighting (on trauma or transplant, i'm guessing) really provides an opportunity to make a pretty good income.

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[Winged Scapula]

Programs are NOT moving toward this - some programs are a mandatory 7 years and others simply offer or suggest that residents spend some time in the lab.

The advantages are some time off from a rigorous call schedule, the opportunity to advance your research interests, get published, train for an academic career, etc.

Some programs will allow you to moonlight as well, offering the opportunity to make some extra dough. Be careful about the promises of "no clinical duties" - I've seen it happen at more than one program in which lab residents and fellows were pulled to help cover the call schedule in times of need.

If you are not interested in an academic career or particularly competitive fellowship, I see little advantage in extending your general surgery residency. You are NOT a junior faculty member - most of the lab time will probably be done between your 2nd and 3rd clinical year, not after your 5 years of general surgery.

 

[maxheadroom]

Agree with KC.

On the trail, there were rumblings that more programs were going to require a couple of years of research with the intention of putting the research residents into the call pool to make night floats and the like more feasible for the program. Haven't heard of any programs that have actually implemented that, though. Most programs will let you moonlight during research years, though some may require that you do it at your own hospitals, which tend to pay less. Most programs seemed to have people doing their research between PGY-2 and -3.

Benefits: good research time, usually in a lab that is already productive; academic development; chance to make some extra money moonlighting

Costs: Adds a couple of years to residency (couple of years of interest on student loans, couple fewer years of productive career); people who return to clinical duties (whom I've known) often feel a bit out of it and need to readjust to hardcore clinical activity

If you want to be a big time academic, this is the best route. If not, don't waste your time.