Comparison of internal medicine, general surgery residents’ postop risk assessments

Editor's Note

Risk assessments of postoperative complications and death in surgically complex patients were not significantly different between internal medicine and general surgery residents in this study. However, both groups overestimated the risks compared with the American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) risk adjusted model.

 Surgery residents had significantly more confidence in their estimates than medical residents, even though the estimates were similarly erroneous between the two groups.

A total of 76 general surgery residents and 76 internal medicine residents participated in the study.

The findings underscore the importance of developing risk-estimation resources for internists and surgeons, the authors say.

Question How do internal medicine and general surgery trainees compare in their assessment of risk of postsurgical complications in surgically complex patients? Findings In this study, assessment of risk of postsurgical complications was not significantly different between internal medicine and general surgery trainee groups, but both groups consistently overestimated risk compared with the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Project risk-adjusted model.

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