The Thoracic Surgery Residents Association: Past contributions, current efforts, and future directions

Abstract

Objective The Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) is a resident-led organization established in 1997 under the guidance of the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association (TSDA) to represent the interests and educational needs of cardiothoracic surgery residents. We aim to describe the past contributions, current efforts, and future directions of the TSRA within a conceptual framework of the TSRA mission. Methods Primary review of educational resources was performed to report goals and content of past contributions. TSRA Executive Committee input was utilized to describe current resources and activities, as well as the future goals of the TSRA. Podcast analytics were performed to report national and global usage. Results Since 2011, the TSRA has published 3 review textbooks, 5 reference guides, 3 test preparation textbooks, 1 supplementary publication, and 1 multiple choice question bank and mobile application, all written and developed by cardiothoracic surgery trainees. In total 108 podcasts have been recorded by mentored trainees, with over 175,000 unique listens. Most recently, the TSRA has begun facilitating trainee submissions to Young Surgeon’s Notes, fostered a trainee mentorship program, developed the monthly TSRA Newsletter, and established a wide-reaching presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to help disseminate educational resources and opportunities for trainees. Conclusions The TSRA continues to be the leading cardiothoracic surgery resident organization in North America, providing educational resources and networking opportunities for all trainees. Future directions include development of an integrated disease-based resource and continued collaboration within and beyond our specialty to enhance the educational opportunities and career development of cardiothoracic trainees.

Cardiovascular surgery training in Japan

“…Unlike the systems in the United States, 12 Canada, 13 and the United Kingdom, 14 there is no national residency review committee. Instead, the JBCVS monitors the quality of each program based on the requirements for the training program (Table E2).…”

“…Unlike the systems of the United States, 12 Canada, 13 New Zealand, Australia, 15 and other European countries, 14,16 approximately 100% of young graduating surgeons stay in their programs or seek fellowships in other institutions and are paid by fixed salary. There are few private practice hospitals in Japan, and only a handful of senior surgeons work in such an environment.…”

The utilization of educational resources published by the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association

“…The Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) is a trainee-led organization established in 1997 under the guidance of the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association (TSDA). 1 , 2 The mission of the TSRA is to provide peer-based resources and support for cardiothoracic surgery residents to succeed during training and beyond through endeavors in 5 primary domains: (1) education, (2) outreach, (3) diversity, equity, and inclusion, (4) wellness, and (5) community. 1 To fulfill its educational goals over the past decade, the TSRA has published a series of review books, reference guides, and textbooks, as well as an online multiple choice question bank, podcast series, webinar series, and many additional educational resources.…”

“… 1 , 2 The mission of the TSRA is to provide peer-based resources and support for cardiothoracic surgery residents to succeed during training and beyond through endeavors in 5 primary domains: (1) education, (2) outreach, (3) diversity, equity, and inclusion, (4) wellness, and (5) community. 1 To fulfill its educational goals over the past decade, the TSRA has published a series of review books, reference guides, and textbooks, as well as an online multiple choice question bank, podcast series, webinar series, and many additional educational resources. The creation of these resources has been previously described in detail and typically includes review by Board-certified cardiac and thoracic faculty, as well as multiple rounds of peer review by a section editor, primary editor(s), and copy editor before publication.…”

Commentary: Two decades of innovation, leadership, and overcoming challenges, but more lies ahead

“…Commentary: Two decades of innovation, leadership, and overcoming challenges, but more lies ahead Douglas Z. Liou, MD Since its formation in 1997, the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) has had tremendous influence on cardiothoracic surgery training, as detailed by Brescia and colleagues. 1 Considering the organization is run solely by surgeons in training under the guidance of the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association, the list of accomplishments is exceptional, particularly over the past decade. Among them are more than a dozen widely used educational publications, including review books, reference guides, and test preparation material.…”