ABSTRACT
The fragmentation of a general specialty in subspecialties or derived specialties is a widely spread reality. Chilean health care system is becoming more complex, requiring more specialists. On the other hand, doctors in specialty training increasingly choose a subspecialty to continue their training and professional development. This contrasts with the growing need for well-trained general surgeons. We aimed to compare the evidence about the needs for general surgeons and the perspectives of Chilean physicians about their specialty training. A literature review about the intention of specialization in Chilean general surgery residents and the gaps in the Chilean health system, was performed. As of December 2016, there were 2,103 general surgeons in Chile, of whom 598 (28%) also have a subspecialty. Among the latter, 49% are plastic or vascular surgeons, which are also the specialties with the greatest demand in the public system. According to estimates of the Chilean Ministry of Health, on that year there was a deficit of 285 general surgeons and 142 subspecialists. These figures correspond to 18.5% and 23.8% of the existing resources. A survey published in 2009 reported that 78% of trainees in general surgery would prefer to continue studying a subspecialty, following the trend observed in the USA and Europe. Therefore, there is a disproportion between the intentions of general surgery trainees and the needs for these professionals in Chile.