What are the primary concerns of recently graduated surgeons and how do they differ from those of the residency training years?

Hypothesis: Graduated surgeons have differences in concerns when comparison s are made between fellows and practicing surgeons, practicing surgeons and residents, and male and female surgeons. Design and Setting: A survey was distributed to surgeons who graduated from 17 New England residency programs from 1993 to 1996, consisting of 9 demog raphic questions and 33 items coded on a Likert-type scale (with scores fro m 1 [least concerning] to 5 [most concerning]). Participants: Surgical fellows and practicing surgeons recently graduated f rom general surgical residency programs in New England who had participated in a previous study as residents. Intervention: Distribution and completion of the survey. Main Outcome Measure: Personal and career-oriented concerns of recently gra duated surgical residents. Results: Personal issues continue to rank high for graduated residents, but the areas of greatest concern became more financially and career oriented. The top concerns of fellows were personal finances (mean score, 3.2), chil d rearing (mean score, 3. 1), salary (mean score, 3. 1), postponing family plans (mean score, 3.0), availability of role models (mean score, 2.9), and number of work hours (mean score, 2.8). The top concerns of practicing sur geons were salary (mean score, 3.2), personal finances (mean score, 3. 1), number of referrals (mean score, 3.0), support for research (mean score, 2. 7), child rearing (mean score, 2.7), and availability of role models (mean score, 2.7). Differences existed between men and women for child rearing, i nitiating personal relationships, maintaining personal relationships, mater nity leave, and promotional advancement. Women were more concerned than men . Conclusions: Assistance with career planning and job selection during the r esidency years should be enhanced to diminish the concerns about financial issues and the availability of role models after graduation. Many of the co ncerns among male and female graduates are still reflective of larger socie tal expectations, but some, such as promotional advancement, may be attenua ted through guidance and mentoring of residents before job selection.