English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Zendy Plus

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Zendy Tools

Zendy Open

Background  A workforce crisis exists in global surgery. One solution is task‐shifting, the delegation of surgical tasks to non‐physician clinicians or associate clinicians (ACs). Although several studies have shown that ACs have similar postoperative outcomes compared with physicians, little is known about their surgical training. This study aimed to characterize the surgical training and experience of ACs compared with medical officers (MOs) in Tanzania.    Methods  All surgical care providers in Pwani Region, Tanzania, were surveyed. Participants reported demographic data, years of training, and procedures assisted and performed during training. They answered open‐ended questions about training and post‐training surgical experience. The median number of training cases for commonly performed procedures was compared by cadre using Wilcoxon rank sum and Student's  t  tests. The researchers performed modified content analysis of participants' answers to open‐ended questions on training needs and experiences.    Results  A total of 21 ACs and 12 MOs participated. ACs reported higher exposure than MOs to similar procedures before their first independent operation (median 40  versus  17 cases respectively;  P  = 0·031). There was no difference between ACs and MOs in total training surgical volume across common procedures (median 150  versus  171 cases;  P  = 0·995). Both groups reflected similarly upon their training. Each cadre relied on the other for support and teaching, but noted insufficient specialist supervision during training and independent practice.    Conclusions  ACs report similar training and operative experience compared with their physician colleagues in Tanzania.

Survey of surgical training and experience of associate clinicians compared with medical officers to understand task‐shifting in a low‐income country