Life after general surgery residency: subsequent practice patterns of chief residents.

No recent reports characterize the practice patterns of graduates of current general surgical residency programs. The University of Louisville Department of Surgery surveyed recent graduates of our program who were established in practice, to determine whether the training they had received had adequately prepared them for their subsequent positions. Ninety percent of our graduates responded to a questionnaire. More than 80% of residents still regularly performed general surgical procedures even though more than 38% had completed some additional fellowship training. More than 75% of our graduates were satisfied with their income. The vast majority were satisfied with their work load and their training. Although more data are needed to determine how practice patterns develop, no current evidence suggests that current training practices are inadequate or wasteful.