Geographic Maldistribution of General Surgery PGYI Residents: Another US Surgical Desert

Background: Practicing general surgeons are unevenly distributed across the country. This study evaluates the geographic distribution of categorical, general surgery (GS) PGYI positions per capita.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2012 National Resident Matching Program match and the 2010 US Census.

Results: The mean for GS PGYI positions per 10(6) population was 3.85 ± .61; 27 states fell below this value. The 7 American College of Surgeons (ACS) regions ranged from a low of 1.4 ± .50 (Intermountain) to a high of 9.89 ± 4.41 (Northeast). The mean (2.18 ± .34) for the 19 state membership of the Southwestern Surgical Congress was below the mean for the country.

Conclusions: There is a maldistribution of GS PGYI positions compared with state and regional populations, particularly in rural areas. This mirrors the maldistribution of practicing general surgeons across the United States. Additional GS residences and resident positions are urgently needed to correct this "Surgical Desert" of graduate surgical education.