A Review of Surgical Education Fellowships in the United States
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Purpose
Surgical education fellowships emerged to address the growing need for formal surgical education training. However, little is known about fellowship structure, curricula, and outcomes. This lack of transparency creates challenges for residents choosing programs, institutions developing new fellowships, and existing programs evaluating their outcomes.
Method
Authors identified 28 United States-based surgical education fellowships and distributed a survey to representatives (directors or fellows) from each program evaluating program structure, educational opportunities, research infrastructure, teaching experiences, and mentorship. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results
Nineteen fellowship programs (68% response rate) participated. The majority of programs offered full funding (84%). Program length varied from 1 to 2 years, most commonly with one fellow per year. Few (16%) required completion of an advanced degree during the fellowship. The majority mandated teaching (84%) and simulation (89%) responsibilities, though time commitments varied. Most programs (84%) required fellows to attend national conferences. Over half (53%) had an Education PhD advisor within the department, and 63% provided free access to statisticians. Leadership structures varied, with 74% having a single fellowship director. Among directors, 80% were surgical specialists, while all non-surgical directors held Education PhDs. Dedicated faculty time equivalents for directors varied widely.
Conclusions
Our findings highlight significant heterogeneity across U.S. surgical education fellowships. Transparency about fellowship structures could improve prospective fellow decision-making and guide future program development. Further research should focus on the long-term outcomes of fellowship graduates and the impact of accreditation on fellowship success.
