Laparoscopic Colorectal Training Gap in Colorectal and Surgical Residents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laparoscopic colorectal surgery is an established safe procedure with demonstrated benefits. Proficiency in this specialty correlates with the volume of cases. We examined training in this surgical field for both general surgery and colon and rectal surgery residents to determine whether the number of cases needed for proficiency is being realized. METHODS: We examined the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and American Board of Colorectal Surgeons (ABCRS) operative statistics for graduating general surgery and colon and rectal surgery residents. RESULTS: Although the number of advanced laparoscopy cases had increased for general surgery residents, there was still a significant gap in case volume between the average number of laparoscopic colorectal operations performed by graduating general surgery residents (21.6) and those performed by graduating colon and rectal surgery residents (81.9) in 2014. CONCLUSION: There is a gap between general surgery and colon and rectal surgery residency training for laparoscopic colorectal surgery. General surgery residents are not meeting the volume of cases necessary for proficiency in colorectal surgery. This deficit represents a structural difference in training.