SP8.4 - Retrospective comparison of core surgical trainee procedural experience gained in Scottish rural, general and tertiary hospitals

Abstract

Abstract Introduction and Aims Core surgical trainees are placed across all hospital types in Scotland, including rural, general and tertiary hospitals. The extent and nature of the procedural experience gained in these different settings has not been previously compared in the Scottish context. Two recent studies concluded that trainees in rural hospitals have access to high case numbers across several surgical specialties. (1,2) The aim of this study is to compare the procedural experiences obtained by core surgical trainees in Scotland, across 3 different settings: in rural, district and tertiary hospitals. Methods Core surgical trainees who undertook training in Scotland between August 2012 to 2022 were identified through digital records (eLogbook data). Operative experiences in 6-month core surgical placements were compared between Rural General (R1), District General (A2, A3) and university/tertiary including children (A1, A4) Hospitals. Results After data cleaning, 241 trainees’ data were available for analysis. The mean number of procedures completed by trainees in a standard 6-month placement was 112 in R1 hospitals, 169 and 94 in A2 and A3 hospitals respectively and 140 and 116 in A1 and A4 hospitals respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between hospital settings (p = 0.072). Conclusion Core surgical trainees have equivalent access to surgical caseloads across all hospital settings in Scotland.