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Ann Thorac Surg 2004;78:1519-1521
© 2004 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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EDITORIAL

Residency Training for the Future, Not the Past

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

^* Address reprint requests to Dr Gardner, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (E-mail: gardnert@uphs.upenn.edu).

The first 300 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) conducted its second annual survey of residents finishing United States thoracic surgery programs in June 2003. The article, "Are There Enough Jobs in Cardiothoracic Surgery?" by Salazar and colleagues [1] that appears in this issue reports the findings from this survey. Of approximately 140 residents who completed training in 2003, 89 individuals (64%) participated in the survey, which the authors refer to as the "Thoracic Residents Job Placement Survey." This response exceeds that of the first survey of residents who completed their training in June 2002 (40%), the results of which were published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery editorial titled, "Help Wanted" by Lee [2] in December 2003. See page 1523

Where are the Jobs?

Eleven percent of the respondents in the 2002 residents group and 19% in 2003 received no job offers. Many others described limited or even undesirable job options. Both surveys affirm the widely held perception that job opportunities for current thoracic surgeon residents are poor. Salazar and coauthors [1] infer that declining applications for thoracic surgery resident positions, especially from graduates of United States medical schools are a result, at least in part, of poor career placement opportunities at the completion of residency training. Other factors mentioned are dissatisfaction with diminishing compensation levels and a perception of reduced job security.

Both surveys confirmed that most residents are finished in their mid-30s, married with children, and have manageable or little residual educational debt. Approximately 10% of the residents who are currently completing training are women, compared with only 2% of women respondents to the Work Force Survey of practicing and retired thoracic surgeons reported by Shemin and associates [3] in 2002. Most residents without a suitable job option chose to take additional training or subspecialty fellowships. . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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