Surgical manpower and training

✍ Scribed by A. P. M. Forrest; F. John Gillingham

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 392 KB
• Volume: 69
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800691117

✦ Synopsis

Surgical manpower and training

Sir

The problem of the 'registrar bulge' is coming home to roost in a frightening way. A recent advertisement for senior registrar appointments in Edinburgh produced 62 applications from surgical trainees, all of whom were well qualified for the appointment.

The extent of the problem is shown in the accompanying Tables I andII (derived from manpower figures in Scotland and England and Wales). Assuming that the average 'life' of a consultant in general surgery is 20 years and that of a senior registrar 4 years, the ratio of senior registrars to consultants is not much short of ideal. However. if the combined 'life' of a registrar/SHO also is 4 years, there are five times as many registrars/SHOs as are required to fill available senior posts. Thus, 4 out of every 5 registrars/SHOs in general surgery have no chance of aspiring to a senior registrar or consultant post in the National Health Service. The situation is little different in other major branches of surgery (e.g. orthopaedics), so that there is no outlet for those who wish to switch to a different surgical specialty.