A national survey of senior trainees surgical experience in hysterectomy and attitudes to the place of vaginal hysterectomy

We set out to determine the current status of training in vaginal hysterectomy in the UK. In total, 255 year 4 or 5 ‘Calman’ trainees were identified and sent an anonymous questionnaire assessing surgical experience, quality of training and attitudes towards vaginal hysterectomy. Our results demonstrate that senior trainees' experience in vaginal as opposed to abdominal hysterectomy is relatively poor. Despite this, trainees believed that the majority of hysterectomies should be done vaginally, and only a minority, laparoscopically.