Abstract
Objective: 1) Understand the significance between the mean and maximum case numbers for surgical procedures among otolaryngology residents nationwide. 2) Understand potential weaknesses of the ACGME resident case log system and possible errors contributing to case inflation. 3) Understand when excessive case load transforms education into service.
Method: Retrospective review of otolaryngology resident national data reports from the ACGME resident case log system for 6 academic years (2004-2010). Maximum, mean, and standard deviation about the mean for total number of cases and for specific surgical procedures were compared. Tracked CPT codes, “unbundling,” and mechanisms for data entry were reviewed.
Results: The total case numbers for residents graduating from 2005 to 2010 remained fairly constant and ranged from a mean of 1699.5 ± 424.2 in 2007 to 1772.2 ± 517 in 2010. The maximum value for total number of cases increased from 3559 in 2007 to 4857 in 2010, and these values surpass the mean by 5 to 6 standard deviations in most years. Comparison of case numbers for other procedures such as parotidectomy, thyroidectomy, mastoidectomy, and endoscopic sinonasal surgeries, among others, yielded similar results.
Conclusion: Large differences between mean and maximum case numbers for resident surgical procedures exist and are expanding. Educational benefit derived from such excessive case load, if accurate, is unclear. Critical examination of the ACGME resident case log system and investigation of resident case log documentation habits are needed to improve accuracy.
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