Journal of the American College of Surgeons· 2026Q1
National Cross-Sectional Survey of Surgical Education Fellowships in the US
- 2citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A 2024 national survey of US surgical education fellowships found that while most require teaching (84%) and simulation coordination (89%), institutional support varies significantly, with only 53% reporting departmental PhD support and 63% providing free statisticians.
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Key points
- 19 of 28 US surgical education fellowships responded to a 2024 national survey.
- Teaching (84%) and simulation coordination (89%) are required by most fellowships.
- Institutional support varies: only 53% have departmental PhD support, and 63% offer free statisticians.
- Most fellowships (84%) are fully funded, but only 16% require an advanced degree.
- Fellowship directors dedicate a median of 0.2 FTE (IQR 0-1) to their role.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Surgical education fellowships prepare future surgeon-educators, yet national data describing training requirements and institutional support are limited. We characterized fellowship structure, educational responsibilities, and resources to inform program development and prospective fellows. STUDY DESIGN: A national cross-sectional survey of accredited and non-accredited U.S. surgical education fellowships was conducted from April to December 2024. Representatives submitted collaborative program-level responses addressing structure, professional development, teaching, simulation, research infrastructure, and mentorship. Data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: Nineteen of 28 identified fellowships responded (68%), including 15 accredited and 4 non-accredited programs. Teaching was required by 16 programs (84%), simulation coordination and instruction by 17 (89%), and curriculum development by 15 (79%). However, only 10 programs (53%) reported departmental Education PhD support, and 12 (63%) provided access to statisticians at no cost. Sixteen programs (84%) offered fully funded fellowship positions. Three programs (16%) required completion of an advanced degree during the fellowship. Eight programs (42%) reserved positions for internal candidates. National conference attendance was required by 16 programs (84%). Fourteen programs (74%) had a single fellowship director; among directors with available data (n=21), median dedicated full-time equivalent was 0.2 (IQR 0,1). CONCLUSIONS: U.S. surgical education fellowships share substantial teaching and simulation responsibilities but differ in institutional resources, professional development opportunities, and leadership support. These national descriptive findings provide improved transparency for prospective applicants, inform future fellowship development and resource allocation, and can guide research on graduate outcomes and accreditation. Longitudinal research is needed to determine how program characteristics and accreditation relate to graduate outcomes.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine