Improving the financial wellness of general surgery residents: A nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: Our study evaluated general surgery resident indebtedness and perspectives on financial compensation. METHODS: In May 2020, a survey was distributed nationwide by general surgery program directors in the Association of Program Directors in Surgery on a voluntary basis to their residents. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 419 general surgery residents. Median salary was $60-65 K and median medical educational debt was $200-250 K. Approximately 61% of residents reported that their financial needs were not met by their income. Most residents (76%) believe that for a fair compensation, their salaries should be 30-50% higher. Proposed interventions for improvement in resident compensation included: overtime payment, redirection of GME funds to the residency programs, and compensating residents for billable services. CONCLUSIONS: Residents enter training with significant medical educational debt and feel unfairly compensated for their work. Therefore, comprehensive interventions with input from residents are needed to improve their financial well-being.

Repurposing a Small Community Hospital Surgical Residency Program in an Epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 put a stop to the operative experience of surgical residents, leaving reassignment of the team, to the frontlines. Each program has adapted uniquely; we discuss how our surgical education changed in our hospital. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of changes in general surgery cases, bedside procedures, and utilization of residents before and during the pandemic. Procedures were retrieved from electronic medical records. Operating room (OR) cases 1 month before and 5 weeks after the executive order were collected. Triple lumen catheter (TLC), temporary hemodialysis catheter (HDC), and pneumothorax catheter (PC) insertions by surgical residents were recorded for 5 weeks. RESULTS: Before the pandemic, an average of 27.9 cases were done in the OR, with an average of 10.1 general surgery cases. From March 23 to April 30, 2020, the average number of cases decreased to 5.1, and general surgery cases decreased to 2.2. Elective, urgent, and emergent cases represented 83%, 14.6%, and 2.4% prior to the order and 66.7%, 15.1%, and 18.2%, respectively, after the order. Bedside procedures over 5 weeks totaled to 153, 93 TLCs, 39 HDCs, and 21 PCs. CONCLUSION: Repurposing the surgical department for the concerns of the pandemic has involved all surgical staff. We worked with other departments to allocate our team to areas of need and re-evaluated daily. The strengths of our team to deliver care and perform many bedside procedures allowed us to meet the demands posed by this disease while remaining as a cohesive unit.