The American College of Surgeons' Division of Education is delighted to announce the creation of a new section of our Web site to address a spectrum of issues relating to restrictions on the duty hours of residents recently mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). New rules will go into effect on July 1, 2003. This section of the ACS Web site will be specific to surgery, and will serve as a unique resource for surgery program directors and others as they consider changes in residency programs to ensure optimum educational outcomes within the new paradigm of restricted hours.

Richard H. Bell, MD, FACS and Debra A. DaRosa, PhD, serve as editors of this online section. The Editorial Board includes L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, FACS, Gary L. Dunnington, MD, FACS, Timothy C. Flynn, MD, FACS, James M. Hassett, MD, FACS, and Marc K. Wallack, MD, FACS.

Editorials accompanied by selected references, examples of practical solutions, and reactions to the topics covered in previous columns will be posted on this section of the ACS Web site at regular intervals. The responses to questions posed by program directors will be provided by the editors. The goal of the editors is not to be prescriptive, but to offer helpful suggestions that may be adapted to meet the specific needs of individual programs. Also, links to the ACGME Web site will be provided to make available the most current information regarding the ACGME's requirements.

We hope that surgery program directors and others involved with the education of surgery residents find this Web-based information helpful. Please send your questions, suggestions, or comments to me at asachdeva@facs.org.

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC
Director
Division of Education

 

Revised December 12, 2008