Surgical Education and Training in the US: a Collaborative Effort to Deliver the Next Generation of Surgeons

Abstract

The foundational principles of surgical training in the USA are based on didactic education, structured skill training, and experiential learning in surgical patient care with the supervision of surgical faculty. A consortium of professional organizations, academic institutions, and teaching hospitals with surgical faculty provide the structural framework, policies, and curriculum to train and evaluate surgeons capable of independent practice. This manuscript describes the roles of the organizations responsible for surgical training in the USA and highlights areas in evolution in the modern surgical education landscape.