PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jake Hiebert
AU  - Leo Chen
AU  - Hamish Hwang
TI  - Are we producing general surgeons who are ready for community or rural practice?
AID  - 10.1503/cjs.014119
DP  - 2021 Sep 01
TA  - Canadian Journal of Surgery
PG  - E467--E472
VI  - 64
IP  - 5
4099  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/64/5/E467.short
4100  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/64/5/E467.full
SO  - CAN J SURG2021 Sep 01; 64
AB  - General surgery remains a broad and unclearly defined specialty in small and medium-sized communities, where general surgeons perform more subspecialty and non-core procedures than their urban counterparts. It is unclear what specific procedures are being performed or whether today’s residents are being trained to meet community needs. We surveyed the members of the British Columbia (BC) Surgical Society and found that only 3% of BC’s surgeons believe today’s graduates are “definitely prepared” for a broad-based community practice. We also identified several non-core procedures performed more frequently by general surgeons in small and medium-sized communities. General surgery residency is narrowing its focus despite the fact that community general surgeons are maintaining a broad-based practice. To meet the needs of smaller communities, residency programs need to address the discrepancies that exist between the emphasis within the current training structure and the practice of our community surgeons.