Profile of Graduates of the Medical Residency in General Surgery of a University in São Paulo

ABSTRACT The study aimed to characterize the profile of graduates of the Medical Residency Program in General Surgery of the University of Ribeirão Preto (SP). METHOD This a descriptive, transversal, quantitative approach. Twenty-six graduates of the Medical Residency Program in General Surgery of the University of Ribeirão Preto, from the years 2005 to 2014, participated in the survey. Data were collected from March to August 2015, using two self-reporting questionnaires. The first was divided into two sections: identification, and employment status (areas of practice, number and type of jobs, and salary). The second questionnaire contained statements about the residency program, related to human, technical and professional dimensions of the training in general surgery. RESULTS Overall, the graduates were satisfied with the training in general surgery offered by the institution. Most of the graduates were male, single, and Brazilian. All of the participants had completed the residency in general surgery in two years, and had worked in the area of surgery. Some of them had also exercised another activity in the medical field, besides surgery. Over 80% of the graduates had studied or attended a surgical subspecialty, mainly in the state of São Paulo. The average monthly income of most of the graduates, derived from medical work, was between ten and twenty national minimum wages, while income derived exclusively from activity as a surgeon was up to up to ten minimum salaries. The analysis of the human dimensions revealed that the majority of the graduates were satisfied with the program. Regarding the technical dimension, it was observed that half of the participants were satisfied with the theoretical program, while 76.9% were satisfied with the amount of surgical practice they had been given. Concerning the professional dimension, 24 (92.4%) disagreed that the training in general surgery was too long, and reported a concern that the specialty had become obsolete. CONCLUSION The results provide important support for discussion within the Institution itself, and in other educational institutions that offer medical residencies in General Surgery. It is also worth noting that the country is currently going through a time of reflection, in which medical training and specialization are at the heart of the debates of the Ministries of Education and Health, and teaching institutions, and these debates should be expanded to the society. Thus, it is imperative to evaluate residency programs so that improvement and correction measures can be considered and implemented.