Resident Perspectives on the Value of Rural General Surgery Rotations: It’s Not Just About the Cases

Purpose Understand the scope of cases that residents participate in during rural general surgery rotations and the value residents and program directors find in such rotations. In turn, our goal is to add to the ongoing conversation the value exposure to rural surgery brings to surgery training. Methods Qualitative study analyzed reviews of residents’ self-reported case lists and field notes from exit interviews with the site director. Results Trainees participated in an average of 105 cases during the rotation, including basic and advanced endoscopy along with exposure to a wide array of surgical cases. Residents had exposure to the rural facility and its staff and participated in a busy outpatient surgical clinic, the hospital, and community activities. We received overwhelmingly positive qualitative feedback from residents regarding how this rural rotation advanced their skills, helped prepare them for life after residency, and for some confirmed their plans to practice in a rural location. Conclusion With the decline in the number of rural general surgeons and projected continuance of this trend, it is important to understand how trainees view their residency experiences and how those experiences may be shaping their outlook on career choices. Our single-site, qualitative study showed that a rural general surgery rotation during residency has broad importance and value in general surgery resident training. Having a rural rotation also allowed residents to gain understanding of a rural lifestyle, workflow, and the social fabric including the rural surgeons’ connections with their communities.