The impact of surgical trainee involvement in total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review of surgical efficacy, patient safety, and outcomes

Defining Critical Portions of Surgery

“…A study by Pidgeon et al7 comparing opinions of surgeons and the general public on the critical portions of a common orthopedic surgery procedure found that attending surgeons were significantly less comfortable with trainees performing certain steps of the procedure than nonmedical respondents. Other studies have shown no significant difference in patient satisfaction nor in safety or outcomes between procedures performed independently by the surgical attending as compared with surgical residents 8–13. Allowing greater procedural autonomy has also been associated with increased confidence for trainees 8,14.…”

“…Other studies have shown no significant difference in patient satisfaction nor in safety or outcomes between procedures performed independently by the surgical attending as compared with surgical residents. [8][9][10][11][12][13] Allowing greater procedural autonomy has also been associated with increased confidence for trainees. 8,14 Resident-based clinics for both minor general surgery procedures and aesthetic cases promote progressive surgical autonomy while delivering quality medical care with good patient outcomes.…”