Needs Assessment of the General Surgery Residency Curriculum: A Mixed-Methods Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33192/smj.v78i11.283327Keywords:
Surgical education, curriculum revision, mixed-methods research, work-life balance, surveyAbstract
Objectives: To explore stakeholders’ perspectives on general surgery residency training in Thailand and to provide a framework to inform our future curriculum revision by the Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand (RCST).
Materials and Methods: A nationwide mixed-methods study was conducted in 2023. An electronic survey was distributed to 1,916 potential respondents, encompassing general surgeons across all health sectors and surgical trainees enrolled in recognized programs throughout Thailand. Quantitative items focused on satisfaction with learning experiences, assessment practices, and achievement of training outcomes, while open-ended qualitative prompts elicited suggestions for curriculum improvement. Qualitative responses were analyzed using an inductive coding process to isolate core conceptual targets.
Results: A total of 159 completed questionnaires were collected (8.3% response rate), representing 117 (73.6%) practicing surgeons and 42 (26.4%) surgical trainees (mean age 42.4 ± 12.9 years; 73% male). Inpatient clinical service received the highest satisfaction rating. Only 27% of respondents expressed satisfaction with work-life balance. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed four major themes: (1) evolution of learning outcomes; (2) restructuring of clinical rotations; (3) improvement of the surgical training experience; and (4) modernization of assessment strategies.
Conclusion: This survey research addressed educational gaps in general surgery training in Thailand. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed several shortcomings in current programs. We proposed a few changes to the RCST general surgery resident curriculum to ensure an adequate learning experience that can lead to the production of graduates who are equipped with all core competencies.
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