Can fpmrs fellows meet the minimum number of midurethral sling and burch urethropexy procedures to graduate? – a review of the national trend using the national surgical quality improvement program database from 2009 to 2019

Abstract

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires 50 midurethral sling (either synthetic mesh or fascial), and 5 Burch urethropexy procedures to graduate from Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) fellowship. Given that there are now as many as FPMRS 160 fellows at 64 accredited programs, there should be at least 2,667 sling and 267 Burch urethropexy procedures performed nationally and annually to meet this requirement. The primary aim of this study was to review the annual trend in the number of sling and Burch procedures performed using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database that captures 700 institutions including 54 of the 64 FPMRS fellowship programs.