Incorporation of research curriculum in specialty training: The need for a paradigm shift

Abstract

Residents are the backbone of every large medical center that aims to strengthen and nourish the upcoming crop of medical personal. The professional prospect of a resident is largely based on their core subject knowledge, the tenacity to practice these core principles and their ability to add to it by academic activities and didactic thinking. Academic and research activities bear the brunt of spillover from clinical and surgical responsibilities of a residents, and this must be curtailed to maximize the involvement of residents in research activities. A possible con of these activities can be the deduction of these academic hours from the surgical training and eventual compromise. Some would argue that research activities can be a double edged sword, but in order to cultivate progressive thinking amongst the newer generation and to improve the quality of care of our patients, these didactic activities should be made a priority rather than a privilege. Moreover, it should be encouraged and controlled at a national level to ensure the availability of resources and curriculum to strengthen this practice.