The Impact of Targeted Informal Information Days on Early-Career Doctor's Interest in Surgery.

Aim: To investigate how much impact targeted informal information days have on early-career doctors and the impact of these information days on their perception of surgical careers. Methods: All attendees of the 2024 Irish Surgical Training Group (ISTG) Careers' Day and Aspiring Surgeons Research Symposium were given a link to an online survey following the event. Their responses were aggregated and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: 57% (n=47/82) of attendees submitted feedback forms. All respondents were considering a career in surgery prior to the event. After the event, 93.5% (n=44) attendees rated themselves more likely or much more likely to pursue a career in surgery, while none reported a new negative view on surgery. Additionally, prior to the event, 47% of attendees (n=22) were considering applying to Core Surgical Training, while a further 13% (n=6) were unsure. After the event, 76.5% (n=36) reported themselves to be more likely or much more likely to apply for CST at some point, and only 2 (4.3%) considered themselves somewhat less likely to apply. Discussion: Our study has identified the positive influence that informal sessions can have in promoting interest in surgical specialities as well as providing networking opportunities amongst consultants and NCHDs that otherwise may not have been easily accessible.