Original Scientific Report
Increasing and Retaining African Surgeons Working in Rural Hospitals: An Analysis of PAACS Surgeons with Twenty-Year Program Follow-Up
Caleb Van Essen,
Bruce C. Steffes,
Keir Thelander,
Beryl Akinyi, Hsin-Fang Li,
Margaret J. Tarpley,
Corresponding Author
Caleb Van Essen
General Surgery Residency Program, Swedish Medical Center, 747 Broadway, Heath 10th Floor, Suite 1003, 98122-4307 Seattle, WA, USA
[email protected]Search for more papers by this authorBruce C. Steffes
Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons, 323 Damsel Court, 28356 Linden, NC, USA
Search for more papers by this authorKeir Thelander
Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons, 18213 Heritage Trail, 44136 Strongsville, OH, USA
Search for more papers by this authorHsin-Fang Li
Medical Data Research Center, Providence Health and Services, 9205 SW Barnes Road, LL#33, 97225 Portland, OR, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMargaret J. Tarpley
Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, 1611 21st Avenue South, 37232-2730 Nashville, TN, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCaleb Van Essen,
Bruce C. Steffes,
Keir Thelander,
Beryl Akinyi, Hsin-Fang Li,
Margaret J. Tarpley,
Corresponding Author
Caleb Van Essen
General Surgery Residency Program, Swedish Medical Center, 747 Broadway, Heath 10th Floor, Suite 1003, 98122-4307 Seattle, WA, USA
[email protected]Search for more papers by this authorBruce C. Steffes
Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons, 323 Damsel Court, 28356 Linden, NC, USA
Search for more papers by this authorKeir Thelander
Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons, 18213 Heritage Trail, 44136 Strongsville, OH, USA
Search for more papers by this authorHsin-Fang Li
Medical Data Research Center, Providence Health and Services, 9205 SW Barnes Road, LL#33, 97225 Portland, OR, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMargaret J. Tarpley
Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, 1611 21st Avenue South, 37232-2730 Nashville, TN, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Background
African surgical workforce needs are significant, with largest disparities existing in rural settings. Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), a primarily rural-based general surgery training program, has published successes in producing rural African surgeons; however, long-term follow-up data are unreported. The goal of our study was to define characteristics of PAACS alumni surgeons working in rural hospitals, documenting successes and illuminating strategies for trainee recruitment and retention.
Method
PAACS’ twenty-year surgery residency database was reviewed for 12 programs throughout Africa regarding trainee demographics and graduate outcomes. Characteristics of PAACS’ graduate surgeons were further analyzed with a 42-question survey.
Results
Among active PAACS graduates, 100% practice in Africa and 79% within their home country. PAACS graduates had 51% short-term and 35% long-term (beyond 5 years) rural retention rate (less than 50,000 population).
Conclusion
Our study shows that PAACS general surgery training program has a high retention rate of African surgeons in rural settings compared to all programs reported to date, highlighting a multifaceted, rural-focused approach that could be emulated by surgical training programs worldwide.
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