A survey of study habits of general surgery residents

Abstract

Objective: To understand the study habits of general surgery residents as well as their motivating factors for study.

Design: A survey was mailed to general surgical residents. Performance on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) was correlated with reported study habits using the Pearson's correlation coefficient.

Setting: Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, 2 urban tertiary referral academic training institutions in Boston, Massachusetts.

Participants: Fifty-eight general surgical residents of all training levels (including research).

Results: On average, surgical residents studied for 3 ± 1 days per week, the average duration of each study session being 1.3 ± 0.6 hours. The average total number of study hours per week was 3.4 ± 2.3. There were strong positive correlations between increased study frequency and high overall ABSITE score (Pearson's r = 0.339; p = 0.02) and between the total number of study hours per week and high overall ABSITE score (Pearson's r = 0.423; p < 0.005). Only 10% and 3% reported complete satisfaction with current study materials and routine, respectively. Most residents (96%) reported a willingness to try a new type of study method and 75% were willing to enroll in a trial comparing study methods.

Conclusions: Increased study frequency and overall increased study duration are positively correlated with ABSITE performance. Dissatisfaction with current study materials and study routine is high, as is willingness to adopt new methods and enroll in investigational trials comparing study methods.