Impact of Medical Residency on Surgical Oncology Care at a Brazilian University Hospital

Abstract

Objective: The main aim of this study was to examine the influence of implementing a Medical Residency (MR) program in surgical oncology (SO ) at the Oncology Center from Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital, University of Pernambuco (CEON/HUOC/UPE). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out and a retrospective cohort strategy was applied to compare the pre-vs. MR periods using Center-related variables as end-points. We also explored our academic production between the pre-vs. MR periods. Results: A 9% increase in the number of surgeries performed, as well as a 15% reduction in the number of hospitalizations was observed in the pre-vs. MR period. There was significant increase in the proportion of surgeries performed to treat malignant diseases in the MR period (p<0.001), with no changes in the proportion of surgeries according to the complexity level of the procedures (p=0.999) or among the SO areas (0.301). Our academic production also promisingly increased in the MR period. Conclusions: This study suggests that introduction of the MR program has positively influenced the SO care and academic production at our Center; however, further studies are needed to confirm a cause-effect relationship. Our approach also served to valorize the MR as an important training model for young surgeons and could be used as a tool to evaluate MR programs in different surgical specialties.