A Survey of Post-Graduate Satisfaction With Orthopaedic Residency Training at a Single Institution.

Background: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has called for self-study within residency programs. Post-graduate surveys allow the graduate to reflect upon their residency experience after years of autonomous practice. Despite their potential utility, a standardized assessment of residency training from the perspective of orthopaedic alumni does not exist. In this study, we aimed to create, analyze, and share with our alumni a post-graduate survey based on ACGME core competencies.

Methods: The survey was developed by full-time orthopaedic faculty and reviewed by a survey methodologist to ensure clarity and an ideal survey format. In May 2020, the survey was emailed to all 90 graduates from 2000 to 2019. Respondents were polled on current clinical practice and satisfaction with program-specific initiatives, residency requirements, and learning environment issues based on a 7-point Likert scale. Respondents were also given the opportunity to provide open-ended responses. Data were collected within the survey platform and subdivided into 3 cohorts based on years since graduation.

Results: The response rate was 71% (64/90). The likelihood of fellowship training increased with recency since graduation. Most respondents are in either private or health-system-owned practice but 23% work in an academic center.The oldest cohort had greater variability in clinical practice. Most program-specific initiatives received high satisfaction scores, but graduates within the past 5 years had the lowest satisfaction scores. Instruction of skills included in ACGME competencies received generally favorable reviews, but professional development skills, such as starting a practice and evaluating job opportunities, received low marks.The overall satisfaction with the program was high (86%) but was lowest among most recent graduates.

Conclusion: The post-graduate survey demonstrates areas of strength and weakness and highlights dissatisfaction among recent graduates. The data will drive specific curricular changes within our program. The survey will be shared to promote self-study within other programs.