Trainee Sex and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestone Assessments during General Surgery Residency

Abstract

Importance: In evaluating the effectiveness of general surgery (GS) training, an unbiased assessment of the progression of residents with attention to individual learner factors is imperative. Objective: To evaluate the role of trainee sex in milestone achievement over the course of GS residency using national data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study evaluated female and male GS residents enrolled in ACGME-accredited programs in the US from 2014 to 2018 with reported variation in milestones performance across years in training and representation. Data were analyzed from November 2019 to June 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Mean reported milestone score at initial and final assessment, and predicted time-to-attainment of equivalent performance by sex. Results: Among 4476 GS residents from 250 programs who had milestone assessments at any point in their clinical training, 1735 were female (38.8%). Initially, female and male residents received similar mean (SD) milestone scores (1.95 [0.50] vs 1.94 [0.50]; P =.69). At the final assessment, female trainees received overall lower mean milestone scores than male trainees (4.25 vs 4.31; P