Mismatch between general surgical trainees sub-specialist interests and advertised jobs: a cause for concern?

The main aim of this study was to establish the primary sub-specialist inte rest of a group of senior general surgical trainees and compare these resul ts with the required subspecialist interests in consultant vacancies advert ised in the British Medical Journal between 3.1.98 and 25.12.99. Colorectal surgery was the most popular sub-specialty amongst trainees (29.4%) follow ed by upper gastrointestinal/hepato-pancreato-biliary (UGI/HPB) (27.2%) and vascular surgery (24.3%). The least popular sub-specialties were breast/en docrine (11.4%) and transplant (2.9%). A total of 324 consultant jobs were advertised, with the sub-specialist interest required as follows: Colorecta l (25.6%), breast/endocrine (23.5%), vascular (20.4%), UGI/HPB (12%) and tr ansplant (5.6%). Although this study only covers a two-year period, there a re obvious discrepancies between trainees' sub-specialist interests and con sultant vacancies. Whilst the jobs to trainees ratios are well matched in c olorectal and vascular surgery, it appears that there are not enough transp lant or breast trainees and too many UGI/HPB trainees for the number of job s available. This problem needs urgent attention to avoid service shortfall s in unpopular sub-specialties and to avoid training people for jobs that d o not exist.