Surgical residency programs
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* Louis P. Perrault
* Pierre L. Pagé
* Michel Carrier

We read with interest the Editor’s View of April 2001 (*Can J Surg* 2001;44[2]:84) on the length of residency programs and agree with most remarks concerning the consequences of the introduction of new technology and techniques and the potential need to expand the clinical curriculum in general surgery. However, we feel that a number of comments concerning cardiac surgery are warranted.

We disagree with the implication that since the cardiovascular and thoracic surgery (CVT) program has been split into 3 distinct residency programs (6 yr for the cardiac surgery program), the joint program was insufficient to cover the required curriculum. Candidates for the CVT residency program entered having completed only the general surgery program, which gave them judgement, depth, solid psychomotor ability and a strong foundation of surgical principles: all the skills of an independent surgical consultant (i.e., a fully fledged specialist). The residents then had 2 to 3 years to acquire the specifics of each CVT branch, which was usually enough, considering the high level of competence attained before entering the CVT program.

The new 6-year training program in cardiac surgery adequately covers the curriculum required by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is sufficient for most residents to acquire adequate clinical skills to be a consultant in the specialty. We believe, however, that a number of them would probably benefit from the broad-based skills taught in the general surgery residency program.

The development of academic surgeons most likely requires training above and beyond specialty certification, such as the 2 to 3 years of clinical or research fellowship (MSc or PhD), which is a recruitment requirement in the Department of Surgery at the Université de Montréal.