Size Matters? The Relationship Between Residency Program Size and Operative Experience in Plastic Surgery—A 9-year Review of 1902 Graduates
Abstract
Background: Residency program size, defined by the number of residents trained per graduating class, is regulated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In plastic surgery, operative case volume is a key training metric; however, the impact of program size on resident case volumes remains unclear. This study evaluates the relationship between program size and plastic surgery resident case volumes across a 9-year period. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used ACGME case logs from all graduating plastic surgery residents in ACGME-accredited plastic surgery residency programs in the United States from 2014 to 2023. Primary variables of interest included program size (≥3 residents per graduating class or
Fields of Study & Subjects
Diversity and Career in Medicine
Surgical Simulation and Training
Breast Implant and Reconstruction
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Global Open
- Publisher
- Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- e7846–e7846
- Publication date
- 1 June 2026
- Language
- EN