Demographics, Training Satisfaction, and Career Plans of Canadian Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents

Statement of the Problem

How the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) continues to evolve and the contribution that the specialty makes to the advancement of patient care is unquestionably contingent on the current generation of trainees. As such, it is critical that we constantly re-evaluate the state of resident training to ensure that trainees have been given the potential to practice to the broadest scope of the specialty and ultimately be leaders in the surgical management of disorders of the oral and craniomaxillofacial complex.

A few authors have investigated OMS resident training in the United States^1,2 ; however, to our knowledge there have been no investigations seeking to evaluate the status of resident training in Canada. The specific aims of this study were to elucidate information pertaining to the demographics, training satisfaction, and career plans of Canadian OMS residents.

 

Material and Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online survey that was distributed via email to all current Canadian OMS residents. The survey consisted of 24 questions and was divided into three sections: demographics, training satisfaction, and career plans.

 

Results

Thirty-two of the 36 residents invited to participate in this study completed the survey resulting in a completion rate of 88.9%. Eighty percent of residents were satisfied overall with their residency training. The highest levels of training satisfaction were found in the areas of facial trauma and orthognathic surgery, where 80% of residents respectively answered that they were very satisfied with the training they had received. The respondents were least satisfied with their training in the areas of facial cosmetic surgery, maxillofacial reconstructive surgery including free tissue transfer, cleft and craniofacial surgery, and dental implant/pre-prosthetic surgery.

When residents were asked the question, “If given the option as an applicant, which residency-training model would you have chosen?,” a majority of residents, 78.1%, answered that they would prefer to be in a MD-integrated OMS certificate program. Among the 14 respondents currently enrolled in MD-integrated programs, 100% responded that they preferred the MD-integrated model.  The majority (61.1%) of residents in OMS certificate programs also indicated that they would have preferred to be in a MD-integrated OMS certificate program.

The career route most desirable to residents seems to be a combination of private practice and academic practice with 75.0% of residents selecting this option. Concerning fellowship training, 71.9% of residents indicated that they would like to complete a fellowship following residency. When independently asked about their intent on obtaining hospital privileges, taking maxillofacial trauma call, and performing orthognathic surgery, 100% of residents indicated that they were planning to incorporate the above mentioned items into their future practices.

 

Conclusion

This study was the first to evaluate the demographics, training satisfaction, and career plans of Canadian OMS residents. In general, residents were satisfied with their surgical education, particularly in the traditional scope of OMS, apart from dental implantology.  Among many practicing surgeons there is debate to whether a broader scope of practice and dual-degree training is good for the specialty. The results of this study suggest that there is a desire among the current generation of Canadian trainees for a broader scope of practice, dual-degree training, and post-graduate fellowship training. 

 

References

1. Aziz S, Ziccardi V, Chuang SK: Training satisfaction versus dissatisfaction among chief residents in oral and maxillofacial surgery—a pilot survey. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 71: 974, 2013

2. Fillmore W, Teeples T, Cha S, Viozzi C, Arce K: Chief resident case experience and autonomy are associated with resident confidence and future practice plans. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 71: 448, 2013