Source
Department of Surgery, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Lansing, Michigan 48912, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
We compared the operative experience of chief residents at the Michigan State University Integrated Residency Program in General Surgery before and after duty-hour restrictions mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA:
Conflicting evidence exists regarding the influence of duty-hour restrictions upon resident operative experience.
METHODS:
Resident self-reported operative experience submitted to the Residency Review Committee (RRC) for Surgery was tabulated. To control for a possible overall decrease in surgical procedures, for example, a decrease in referrals to the institution, the departmental database of surgical billings that is maintained independently from resident operative experience data also was reviewed.
RESULTS:
An overall decrease of nearly 20% occurred in resident operative volume after promulgation of duty-hour restrictions. All residents met minimum RRC operative experience requirements. Over the same period, no decrease was found in the number surgical procedures performed by the department.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our data suggest that restriction of resident duty hours is associated with a significant decrease in operative experience.