A Perspective on Paediatric Surgical Training: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Training of paediatric surgeons is facing numerous challenges in the developed and developing world. Although the nature of these threats ̶ for instance: work hour  restrictions, declining incidence of congenital anomalies, insufficient numbers of qualified trainers and poorly resourced environments ̶ varies from region to region, it is incumbent on the broader paediatric surgical community to respond. Defining high volume training, balancing trainee well-being with service provision, evaluating and utilising innovative training techniques, and utilising research and audits to tailor training programmes are essential steps required to produce trainees with the necessary exposure to the rare and complex, as well as the common and simple, spectrum of paediatric surgical pathology required to practice independently.