Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast

You click an order set and ten seconds later the labs, imaging and meds are in. A drug interaction alert fires, and you override it without reading. A sepsis score in the corner of the chart flags your post-op patient. Who built those defaults, who set that alert threshold, and was that score ever validated on surgical patients? Join Drs. Kevin Kniery, Mason Pearce, and Genevieve Melton-Meaux, a practicing colorectal surgeon and the American College of Surgeons' first Chief Health Informatics Officer, as they kick off the Clinical Informatics for Surgeons series. They explain what clinical informatics actually is (hint: not the help desk), how it is already running your operative day, and the few habits that let any surgeon shape the tools everyone else is stuck with.

Hosts:

• Genevieve Melton-Meaux, MD, PhD, Colon and Rectal Surgeon; Senior Associate Dean for Health Informatics and Data Science, University of Minnesota; Chief Health Informatics Officer, American College of Surgeons; Chair, AMIA Board of Directors
• Kevin Kniery, MD, FACS, Vascular Surgeon, Brooke Army Medical Center
• Mason Pearce, MD, General Surgery Resident and Clinical Informatics Fellow, University of South Florida; Behind the Knife Education Fellow

Learning objectives:

• Define clinical informatics, distinguish it from information technology, and describe how physicians train and certify in the subspecialty (ACGME-accredited fellowship, ABPM/ABPath board exam).
• Identify four everyday systems that shape surgical care (order set defaults, medication alerts, embedded risk scores, OR scheduling logic) and recognize them as clinical design decisions.
• Explain alert fatigue as a patient safety problem and why independent external validation of predictive models matters, using the Epic Sepsis Model as an example.
• Describe the three core areas of the surgeon informatician: clinical decision-making and care process improvement; health information systems, data and analytics; and leadership and change management.
• Apply practical habits for informatics literacy: question a risk score's data and validation, report faulty alerts, and join the committees that maintain order sets and decision support.

References:

• Felisberto M, Lima GDS, Celuppi IC, et al. Override rate of drug-drug interaction alerts in clinical decision support systems: a brief systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Informatics J. 2024;30(2):14604582241263242. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38899788/
• Ashton M. Getting rid of stupid stuff. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(19):1789-1791. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30403948/
• Rajamani G, Diethelm M, Gunderson MA, et al. Crowdsourcing electronic health record improvements at scale across an integrated health care delivery system. Appl Clin Inform. 2023;14(2):356-364. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37164355/
• Wong A, Otles E, Donnelly JP, et al. External validation of a widely implemented proprietary sepsis prediction model in hospitalized patients. JAMA Intern Med. 2021;181(8):1065-1070. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34152373/
• Osheroff J, Teich J, Levick D, Saldana L, Velasco F, Sittig D, Rogers K, Jenders R. Improving Outcomes with Clinical Decision Support: An Implementer's Guide. 2nd ed. HIMSS Publishing; 2012. ISBN 9780984457731. Book; not indexed in PubMed. Source of the CDS Five Rights framework. https://www.routledge.com/Improving-Outcomes-with-Clinical-Decision-Support-An-Implementers-Guide-S…
• Gardner RM, Overhage JM, Steen EB, et al. Core content for the subspecialty of clinical informatics. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2009;16(2):153-157. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19074296/
• Zhao J, Forsythe R, Langerman A, Melton GB, Schneider DF, Jackson GP. The value of the surgeon informatician. J Surg Res. 2020;252:264-271. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32402396/
• Anderson TN, Jenkins PD, Doberne JW, Mohan V, Thanawala RM. Defining the clinical informatics knowledge gap in general surgery: evaluation of resident experience and perspectives. J Surg Educ. 2025;82(11):103682. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40911943/
• Lyu HG, Doherty GM, Landman AB. Surgical informatics: defining the role of informatics in the current surgical training paradigm. J Surg Educ. 2020;77(1):9-12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31477548/
• AMIA. AMIA's role in the clinical informatics subspecialty and history (ABMS approval 2011; first exam October 2013). AMIA's Role in CIS and History
• Turner PL. Exploring artificial intelligence at the ACS. Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons. October 2024. Exploring Artificial Intelligence at the ACS | ACS

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How do we care for ourselves while caring for others?

Surgery is a demanding profession that requires resilience, sacrifice, and the ability to navigate high-stakes decisions. However, depression, anxiety, burnout, and the emotional consequences of complications are realities that many surgeons face but often struggle to discuss openly.

In this episode of the Behind the Knife/Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) collaborative series, our guests share their personal experiences navigating mental health challenges throughout their careers, confronting stigma, finding support, and learning that being a successful surgeon does not require being perfect.

Hosts

• Dr. Agnes Premkumar — Behind the Knife Surgical Education Fellow, General Surgery resident (US)
• Dr. Gita Lingham — President, Moynihan Academy, trainee association within the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) (UK)
• Dr. Elizabeth McLennan — Vice President, Moynihan Academy, trainee association within the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) (UK)

Guests

• Dr. Luke Elms — Board-certified general surgeon specializing in abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia surgery; host of The Hernia Gods podcast.
• Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Miller — Former neurosurgical trainee and current occupational health physician, mental health advocate, and author of Mood Mapping.

Resources Mentioned
Mood Mapping — Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Miller
A practical guide to understanding and managing emotional well-being through mood awareness, self-reflection, and strategies such as exercise, music, spending time outdoors, and connecting with others.

The Hernia Gods Podcast — Dr. Luke Elms
A podcast exploring the humanity behind surgery, including imposter syndrome, complications, professional identity, self-doubt, and the shared experiences of surgeons at every career stage.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Doctors' Support Network
https://www.dsn.org.uk/. A peer-support initiative discussed by Dr. Miller, emphasizing compassion, connection, and reducing the stigma associated with mental health challenges among physicians.

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The scrub tech holds up two boxes, “SURGICEL or EVARREST?”, and you realize nobody ever taught you the difference. Patrick Georgoff, MD, John McClellan, MD, Kevin Kniery, MD, and Nick Teman, MD, break down topical hemostatic agents, one of the most used and least taught tools in the OR. You’ll get a simple two-question model for picking the right product: can your patient make their own clot, and can a patch reach the bleeding? Through trauma, vascular, and cardiac cases, the team covers when these agents earn their keep and when two minutes of pressure (no peeking!) will do the job. Bottom line: hemostatic agents speed up hemostasis, but they’re a targeted adjunct to good surgical technique, not a substitute for it!

Hosts:

• Patrick Georgoff, MD, Duke
• Nick Teman, MD, University of Colorado
• John McCllelan, MD, UNC
• Kevin Kniery, MD, Madigan Army Medical Center

Topical Hemostatic Agent PDF link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qv9V_0l20CTXKQ_83newveIahmxzlpcb/view?usp=sharing

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Join the Behind the Knife Surgical Oncology Team as we discuss the MATTERHORN trial and the addition of perioperative immunotherapy to FLOT for resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma!

Hosts:

• Timothy Vreeland, MD, FACS (@vreelant) is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Surgical Oncologist at Brooke Army Medical Center.
• Daniel Nelson, DO, FACS (@usarmydoc24) is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Surgical Oncologist at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Chattanooga.
• Lexy (Alexandra) Adams, MD, MPH (@lexyadams16) is a Surgical Oncologist at Brooke Army Medical Center.
• Joe (Joseph) Broderick, MD, MA (@joebrod5) is a General Surgery research resident between his second and third year at Brooke Army Medical Center.
• Galen Gist, MD (@gistgalen) is a third-year General Surgery resident at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Learning Objectives:
In this episode, we review the evolution of perioperative therapy for resectable gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, from the MAGIC and FLOT4 trials to the MATTERHORN trial, a phase III randomized controlled trial investigating the addition of perioperative durvalumab to FLOT. We discuss the mechanism of checkpoint inhibition, the trial design, the event-free and overall survival results, the pathologic and nodal response data, and the open questions this trial raises for surgeons.

References used in the making of this episode:

• Cunningham D, Allum WH, Stenning SP, et al. Perioperative chemotherapy versus surgery alone for resectable gastroesophageal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2006;355(1):11-20. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa055531
• Al-Batran SE, Homann N, Pauligk C, et al. Perioperative chemotherapy with fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel versus fluorouracil or capecitabine plus cisplatin and epirubicin for locally advanced, resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (FLOT4): a randomised, phase 2/3 trial. Lancet. 2019;393(10184):1948-1957. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32557-1
• Janjigian YY, Al-Batran SE, Wainberg ZA, et al. Perioperative durvalumab in gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(3):217-230. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2503701
• Tabernero J, Al-Batran SE, Wainberg ZA, et al. Final overall survival and the association of pathological outcomes with event-free survival in MATTERHORN: a randomised, phase III study of durvalumab plus FLOT in resectable gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Presented at: European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025; October 17, 2025; Berlin, Germany. Abstract LBA81.
• Shitara K, Rha SY, Wyrwicz L, et al. Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy as perioperative therapy in locally advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer: final analysis of the randomized, phase III KEYNOTE-585 study. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(29):3152-3159. doi:10.1200/JCO-25-00486
• Kang YK, Terashima M, Kim YW, et al. Adjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy for stage III gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer after gastrectomy with D2 or more extensive lymph-node dissection (ATTRACTION-5): a randomised, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024;9(8):705-717. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(24)00156-0
• André T, Tougeron D, Piessen G, et al. Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab and adjuvant nivolumab in localized deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability-high gastric or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma: the GERCOR NEONIPIGA phase II study. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(2):255-265. doi:10.1200/JCO.22.00686

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In this episode of the Behind the Knife Global Surgery Series, we explore what it actually takes to build a meaningful career in global surgery. Global surgery is not a single specialty or job title—it is a broad field that intersects with clinical care, education, research, policy, advocacy, implementation science, and health-system strengthening. So how do trainees and early-career surgeons find their place in it?

Host Mike M. Mallah is joined by Dr. Barnabas Alayande and Dr. Lacey LaGrone for a candid discussion about the personal and professional paths that brought them into global surgery. Dr. Alayande shares how experiences with limited access to healthcare in Nigeria shaped his decision to pursue medicine and ultimately global surgery, while Dr. LaGrone discusses her focus on translating evidence into clinical practice and building scalable approaches to knowledge dissemination.

Together, they discuss why purpose matters, why global surgery should be viewed as a field rather than a job title, and why aspiring global surgeons should first become excellent at something that allows them to add real value. The conversation also examines mentorship, the difference between visibility and impact, the importance of integrity in partnerships, and the personal sacrifices that can accompany a career devoted to this work.

For medical students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty interested in global surgery, this episode offers practical advice: develop meaningful expertise, seek mentors who are genuinely invested in your growth, focus less on recognition and more on impact, and keep doing the next right thing—excellently.

Hosts/Guests:
Mike M. Mallah, MD, FACS, FICS
Director of Global Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina
@MikeMMallahMD
@MUSCGlobalSurg
mallahm@musc.edu

Barnabas Alayande, MD
Chair, Center for Equity and Global Surgery
University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda
General Surgeon, Surgical Educator, and Global Surgery Leader
@DrBarnabasAlay

Lacey LaGrone, MD
Associate Director of Research, Medical Center of the Rockies
Associate Clinical Faculty, University of Colorado
Co-Founder, Together Made
Acute Care Surgeon, Surgical Intensivist, and Global Surgery Leader

Papers noted:
· Abimbola S. The foreign gaze: authorship in academic global health. BMJ Global Health. 2019;4:e002068. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-002068
· Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown https://gregmckeown.com/books/essentialism/

Topics discussed: Career pathways in global surgery; finding your “why”; global surgery as a field rather than a specialty; developing expertise; implementation science; mentorship; visibility versus impact; ethical partnerships; professional sacrifice; work-life balance; and advice for the next generation of global surgeons.

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Open the capsule, quit the cigarettes, and know when to cut: the essentials of managing marginal ulcers after bypass.

Marginal ulcers are among the most common complications after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, with a pooled prevalence around 4.6%, and they span everything from mild postprandial pain to perforation with peritonitis. In this episode, our expert panel works through three clinical scenarios (an uncomplicated early ulcer, a refractory ulcer with recurrent stricture, and a perforated ulcer with peritonitis) to build a practical framework for prevention, workup, medical therapy, and surgical escalation.

Hosts

• Matthew Martin, trauma and bariatric surgeon at the University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center (Los Angeles, California)
• Adrian Dan, bariatric and MIS surgeon, program director for the advanced MIS bariatric and foregut fellowship at Summa Health System (Akron, Ohio)
• Crystal Johnson Mann, bariatric and foregut surgeon at the University of Florida (Gainesville, Florida)
• Katherine Cironi, general surgery resident at the University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center (Los Angeles, California)

Learning objectives
1. Identify the established and debated risk factors for marginal ulcers. Recognize smoking, diabetes, NSAIDs, and larger pouch size as key contributors. Appreciate that the role of H. pylori remains unsettled because of heavy heterogeneity across meta-analyses.

2. Perform a complete etiologic workup for a new marginal ulcer. Assess NSAID and immunosuppressant use, smoking (including cotinine test), H. pylori status, and visible suture or staple material at the anastomosis, and know that endoscopy, not CT, is the diagnostic tool of choice unless perforation is suspected.

3. Optimize first-line medical management. Use PPI therapy with instructions to open the capsules for faster healing, understand the limited evidence for adding sucralfate, confirm healing with repeat endoscopy, and individualize treatment duration, including when lifelong prophylaxis is reasonable.

4. Define and evaluate the refractory ulcer. Apply the 6- to 12-month definition of refractory disease, rule out gastrogastric fistula, hypersecretory states (serum gastrin), and PPI rapid metabolism (CYP2C19), and recognize ulcer-related gastrojejunal stricture and the perforation risk of serial dilation.

5. Weigh escalation options for refractory disease. Compare endoscopic suturing and stenting, truncal vagotomy, and GJ revision, including their mixed durability data, and address nutritional optimization and remnant access before reoperation.

6. Manage a perforated marginal ulcer. Prioritize resuscitation, antibiotics, and IV PPI; take unstable patients straight to the OR, use primary repair with omental patch as the default approach, and reserve revision or damage control for select patients based on physiology, tissue quality, and expertise.

7. Counsel patients on long-term recurrence risk. Communicate substantial recurrence rates after both repair and revision and emphasize that quitting smoking early (more than a year before surgery) meaningfully lowers reoperation risk.

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It’s 2 a.m. and a patient with a GSW to the thigh is rolling into the trauma bay. He’s hypotensive, tachycardic, and has a tourniquet in place. Do you get a CTA or go straight to the OR? What do you do with the tourniquet?

Join us as we work through this and two other cases of extremity vascular trauma and break down the literature to answer these questions and discuss how we should approach these challenging injuries.

Hosts:
· Christian Hadeed - PGY 5 General Surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center
· Paul Haser -Division Chief, Vascular Surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center
· Andrew Harrington – Division Chief, Vascular surgery, Richmond University Medical Center
· Lucio Flores - Vascular surgery, Brookdale Hospital Medical Center

Learning Objectives:
· Apply the X-ABCDE approach to patients with extremity vascular trauma, including the role of early hemorrhage control and tourniquets.
· Recognize the hard and soft signs of extremity arterial injury and determine when additional vascular imaging is indicated.
· Describe the role of the ankle-brachial index, CT angiography, and conventional angiography in the evaluation of suspected extremity vascular injury.
· Discuss the principles of operative management of extremity vascular injuries, including temporary shunting, vascular repair, and restoration of limb perfusion.
· Briefly discuss mangles extremities and when saving the limb may not be appropritate

References:
· American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. (2025). Advanced trauma life support (ATLS®) student course manual (11th ed.). American College of Surgeons.
· Lynch, K., & Johansen, K. (1991). Can Doppler pressure measurement replace “exclusion” arteriography in the diagnosis of occult extremity arterial trauma? Annals of Surgery, 214(6), 737–741. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000658-199112000-00016
· Inaba, K., Branco, B. C., Reddy, S., Park, J. J., Green, D., Plurad, D., Talving, P., Lam, L., & Demetriades, D. (2011). Prospective evaluation of multidetector computed tomography for extremity vascular trauma. Journal of Trauma, 70(4), 808–815. https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e3182118384· Polcz, J. E., White, J. M., Ronaldi, A. E., Dubose, J. J., Grey, S., Bell, D., White, P. W., & Rasmussen, T. E. (2021). Temporary intravascular shunt use improves early limb salvage after extremity vascular injury. Journal of Vascular Surgery, 73(4), 1304–1313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2020.08.137
· Asensio, J. A., Kessler, J. J., Miljkovic, S. S., Kotaru, T. R., Dabestani, P. J., Kalamchi, L. D., Wenzl, F. A., Sanford, A. P., & Rowe, V. L. (2020). Brachial artery injuries: Operative management and predictors of outcome. Annals of Vascular Surgery, 69, 146–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avsg.2020.05.049
· Barnes, C. J., Pietrobon, R., & Higgins, L. D. (2002). Does the pulse examination in patients with traumatic knee dislocation predict a surgical arterial injury? A meta-analysis. Journal of Trauma, 53(6), 1109–1114. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-200212000-00013
· Mills, W. J., Barei, D. P., & McNair, P. (2004). The value of the ankle-brachial index for diagnosing arterial injury after knee dislocation: A prospective study. Journal of Trauma, 56(6), 1261–1265. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.TA.0000068995.63201.0B
· Weinberg, D. S., Scarcella, N. R., Napora, J. K., & Vallier, H. A. (2016). Can vascular injury be appropriately assessed with physical examination after knee dislocation? Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 474, 1453–1458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-016-4730-6
Sponsor URL: https://www.goremedical.com/

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This mini-series on Behind the Knife will discuss the technical aspects of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program and Cancer Surgery Standards Program. This episode highlights total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer.

Host:

• Jason Lizalek, MD (@JasonLizalekMD) is a Surgical Oncology fellow at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL.

Guests:

• Sean J Langenfeld, MD, FACS, FASCRS (@seanlangenfeld) is a professor of surgery and the chief of the division of colon and rectal surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE
• Larissa Temple, MD, FACS, FASCRS is a professor of surgery and the chief of colon and rectal surgery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.

Learning Objectives:
- Understand the relevant pelvic anatomy that makes TME challenging.
- Develop a step-by-step approach to TME that avoids major pitfalls and allows for a sfe low pelvic anastomosis.
- Learn tips and tricks for exposure and progress in the more difficult cases.

Links to Papers Referenced in this Episode:

Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 1: Breast, Lung, Pancreas, Colon
https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-surgery-standards-program/operative-standards-for-cancer-surgery/purchase/
Kindle edition:
https://www.amazon.com/Operative-Standards-Cancer-Surgery-Section-ebook/dp/B07MWSNFSB
The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Rectal Cancer 2023 Supplement
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37647138/
NCCN Guidelines for Rectal Cancer
https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=1&id=1461

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It’s postoperative day four after surgery for a perforated colon. The source appears controlled, but the patient is still intubated, the white count is eighteen, and nobody feels comfortable stopping piperacillin–tazobactam. Is four days really enough? Does the ICU buy another four—or is it time to ask what we’re missing?

Join Drs. Rushabh Dev, Skye Shultz, Kelly Ray, Desra Fletcher, and Brycen Ratcliffe from the Emergency General Surgery team in Tiger Country at Mizzou as they revisit STOP-IT and examine what more than a decade of evidence has added to the management of complicated intra-abdominal infection.

In this EGS Journal Review, the team appraises the landmark trial, explores its subgroup analyses and limitations, and puts contemporary SIS, IDSA, AAST, and Surviving Sepsis guidance into context. The discussion moves from source control and antibiotic duration to resistant organisms, cultures, de-escalation, ICU dosing, and the role of procalcitonin.

For most complicated intra-abdominal infections, approximately four days after adequate source control remains the default. Persistent illness should prompt a search for failed source control, ineffective therapy, or another diagnosis before simply extending the stop date.

Hosts

• Dr. Rushabh Dev, MD, FACS – Moderator and Acute Care Surgeon, University of Missouri
• Dr. Skye Shultz – Surgical Critical Care Fellow, University of Missouri
• Dr. Kelly Ray – General Surgery Resident; STOP-IT appraisal and antimicrobial selection
• Dr. Desra Fletcher – General Surgery Resident, University of Missouri; post-STOP-IT evidence and implementation
• Dr. Brycen Ratcliffe – General Surgery Resident; society guidance and microbiology

Learning Objectives

By the end of this episode, listeners should be able to:
· Describe the design, principal results, strengths, and limitations of STOP-IT, including why adequate source control is essential to applying its findings.
· Apply short-course therapy after adequate operative or percutaneous source control and explain why sepsis alone, obesity, or diabetes does not automatically require a longer course.
· Distinguish the four-day default from the weaker SIS recommendation supporting up to eight days in selected critically ill patients after adequate source control.
· Recognize persistent or worsening illness that warrants reassessment of source control, drain function, microbiology, drug exposure, or alternative diagnoses.
· Differentiate the treatment scope of SIS guidance from the diagnostic and microbiology focus of IDSA 2024, the AAST surgical ICU consensus, and broader sepsis and antimicrobial-resistance guidance.
· Select and de-escalate antimicrobials using infection setting, resistance risk, cultures, local susceptibility data, and patient-specific dosing considerations.
· Explain the limited adjunctive role of procalcitonin in antibiotic discontinuation when duration remains uncertain, including the implications of ADAPT-Sepsis.

References

1. Sawyer RG, et al. Trial of short-course antimicrobial therapy for intraabdominal infection. N Engl J Med. 2015;372:1996–2005. STOP-IT. Article / guideline
2. Huston JM, et al. The Surgical Infection Society Guidelines on the Management of Intra-Abdominal Infection: 2024 Update. Surg Infect. 2024;25:419–435. Article / guideline
3. Rattan R, et al. Patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection presenting with sepsis do not require longer duration of antimicrobial therapy. J Am Coll Surg. 2016;222:440–446. Article / guideline
4. Rattan R, et al. Percutaneously drained intra-abdominal infections do not require longer duration of antimicrobial therapy. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2016;81:108–113. Article / guideline
5. Montravers P, et al. Short-course antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients treated for postoperative intra-abdominal infection: the DURAPOP randomized clinical trial. Intensive Care Med. 2018;44:300–310. Article / guideline
6. IDSA. 2024 Guideline Update on Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: Risk Assessment, Diagnostic Imaging, and Microbiological Evaluation. Article / guideline
7. Nohra E, et al. Fever and infections in surgical intensive care: an AAST Critical Care Committee clinical consensus document. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2024;9:e001303. Article / guideline
8. IDSA. 2026 Guidance on the Treatment of Antimicrobial-Resistant Gram-Negative Infections. Article / guideline
9. Prescott HC, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2026. Crit Care Med. 2026. Article / guideline
10. Dark P, et al. Biomarker-guided antibiotic duration for hospitalized patients with suspected sepsis: the ADAPT-Sepsis randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2025;333:682–693. Article / guideline
After adequate source control, most complicated intra-abdominal infections need approximately four days of antibiotics. If the patient is not improving, reassess the source and the treatment—not just the calendar.

Sponsor Disclosure: Visit http://goremedical.com/btkpod to learn more about GORE® SYNECOR Biomaterial, including supporting references and disclaimers for the presented content. Refer to Instructions for Use at http://eifu.goremedical.com for a complete description of all applicable indications, warnings, precautions and contraindications for the markets where this product is available. Rx only

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Enlace del curso: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/repaso-para-el-examen-de-certificaci-n-en-cirug-a-general

Behind the Knife es el podcast quirúrgico líder en el mundo y una plataforma de educación quirúrgica. Nuestra misión es crear contenido innovador de educación quirúrgica que sea accesible para todos. Estamos muy emocionados de expandirnos al público hispanohablante y ofrecerles 4 episodios de muestra de nuestro Curso de Repaso para el examen de certificación de Cirugía General.

Hoy, escucharás un caso de muestra de este curso de repaso en audio, que incluye 100 escenarios.

El curso tiene un formato emocionante y completamente único. Cada uno de los 100 caso consta de dos partes. La primera parte es un caso oral perfectamente ejecutado que imita la realidad. Cada caso tiene una duración de cinco a siete minutos e incluye una variedad de tácticas y estilos. Si logras alcanzar este nivel de desempeño en tu preparación, seguramente aprobarás el examen de certificación con éxito.

La segunda parte introduce comentarios de alto rendimiento para cada escenario. Estos comentarios incluyen consejos y trucos para ayudarte a dominar los escenarios más desafiantes, además de una enseñanza práctica y fácil de entender que cubre los temas más confusos que enfrentamos como cirujanos generales. Estamos seguros de que encontrarás este enfoque único de doble formato como una forma altamente efectiva de prepararte para el examen.

Nuestro contenido está disponible en nuestras aplicaciones para iOS y Android y en nuestro sitio web (behindtheknife.org). Por favor, consulta las notas del programa para más información. Nos encantaría escuchar tus comentarios sobre este episodio enviando un correo electrónico a hello@behindtheknife.org y apreciamos tu ayuda para difundir la palabra entre tus colegas si disfrutas del material.

Este contenido incluye 97 descripciones operatorias para todos los procedimientos comunes —y la mayoría de los poco comunes— incluidos en el Currículo de Cirugía General SCORE. Cada descripción está diseñada para ayudar a los candidatos a prepararse de manera eficaz para el Examen de Certificación en Cirugía General.

presentadores de podcast:

- Auri P. Garcia Gonzalez, MD PhD nació en San Juan, Puerto Rico, y se trasladó a los Estados Unidos en el 2012 para sus estudios graduados. Actualmente, es estudiante de post-grado en cirugía general en Duke University.

- Diego Schaps, MD, MPH es un residente de cirugía general en Duke y nació en Miami, en el estado de la Florida. Sus padres nacieron en El Salvador.

Disclaimer: Los productos de contenido de Behind the Knife son únicamente para fines educativos. No diagnosticamos, tratamos ni ofrecemos consejos específicos para pacientes.

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Behind the Knife is the world's leading surgical podcast and surgical education platform. Our mission is to create innovative surgical education content that is accessible to all. We are very excited to expand into the spanish audience and bring you 4 sample episodes of our General Surgery Oral Board Review Course which will be released over the course of the next week.

Today, you'll hear a sample scenario from this comprehensive audio review course which includes 100 scenarios. The course has an exciting and entirely unique format. Each of the 100 scenarios includes two parts. The first part is a perfectly executed oral board scenario that mimics the real thing. Scenarios are five to seven minutes long and include a variety of tactics and styles. If you're able to achieve this level of performance in your preparation, you are sure to pass the oral exam with flying colors.

The second part introduces high yield commentary to each scenario. This commentary includes tips and tricks to help you dominate the most challenging scenarios in addition to practical, easy to understand teaching that covers the most confusing topics that we face as general surgeons. We are confident you will find this unique dual format approach a highly effective way to prepare for the test.

The course contains crisp, concise operative descriptions that cover all SCORE common topics and and most SCORE uncommon topics.

Our content is available on our iOS and Android apps and website (http://behindtheknife.org/). Please check the show notes for more information. We would love to hear your feedback by emailing hello@behindtheknife.org and appreciate your help spreading the word to your colleagues if you enjoy the material.

Hosts:
- Auri P. Garcia Gonzalez, MD PhD was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and moved to the US in 2012 for graduate studies. At present, she is a surgical resident at Duke University.
- Diego Schaps, MD, MPH is a general surgery resident at Duke and was born in Miami, Florida. His parents were born in El Salvador.
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Calcified peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains one of the most challenging problems in endovascular intervention. Calcium limits vessel expansion, increases the risk of dissection and procedural failure, and can ultimately lead to bailout stenting. The Disrupt PAD III program provided important evidence for a different approach: intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) as a vessel-preparation strategy. In this episode, we examine the randomized Disrupt PAD III trial published by Tepe and colleagues and the large, real-world observational analysis led by Armstrong and colleagues. Together, these studies explore whether IVL can make treatment of heavily calcified lesions more predictable, reduce the need for stenting, and support a “leave-nothing-behind” strategy.

Hosts:
Dr. Robert Beaulieu
Dr. Frank Davis
Dr. Luciano Delbono
Dr. Andrew Huang
Dr. Carolyn Judge

Learning Objectives
By the end of this episode, listeners should be able to:

• Explain the challenges posed by moderate to severe vascular calcification during peripheral endovascular intervention and the rationale for dedicated vessel-preparation strategies.
• Describe the design, patient population, endpoints, and primary findings of the randomized Disrupt PAD III trial comparing IVL with conventional PTA.
• Interpret the procedural and longer-term outcomes associated with IVL, including residual stenosis, dissection rates, bailout stenting, and primary patency.
• Evaluate how the Disrupt PAD III observational study complements the randomized trial by examining IVL in a larger, more complex, real-world population and across multiple vascular beds.
• Identify the practical implications, limitations, and remaining unanswered questions surrounding IVL, including its role relative to other calcium-modification strategies such as atherectomy.

References

• Tepe G, Brodmann M, Werner M, et al. Intravascular Lithotripsy for Peripheral Artery Calcification: 30-Day Outcomes From the Randomized Disrupt PAD III Trial. JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2021;14(12):1352-1361. doi:10.1016/j.jcin.2021.04.010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34167675/
• Tepe G, Brodmann M, Bachinsky W, et al. Intravascular Lithotripsy for Peripheral Artery Calcification: Mid-term Outcomes From the Randomized Disrupt PAD III Trial. J Soc Cardiovasc Angiogr Interv. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39131928/
• Armstrong EJ, Adams G, Soukas PA, et al. Intravascular Lithotripsy for Peripheral Artery Calcification: 30-Day Outcomes From the Disrupt PAD III Observational Study. J Endovasc Ther. 2026;33(2):853-862. doi:10.1177/15266028241283716. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39422234/

Sponsor URL: https://www.goremedical.com/

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Breast cancer risk varies widely across patients, and surgeons play a central role in recognizing elevated risk and guiding appropriate management. In this episode, we review the spectrum of breast cancer risk and discuss practical strategies for risk assessment and risk reduction. We’ll cover surveillance, lifestyle interventions, risk-reducing medications, high-risk breast lesions, and prophylactic surgery—with an emphasis on translating the available evidence into individualized clinical care.

Hosts:
- Rashmi Kumar, MD, PhD
Resident, University of Michigan General Surgery Residency Program
Twitter/X: @RashmiJKumar
- Melissa Pilewskie, MD
Attending Breast Surgical Oncologist, Co-Director of the Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer, Michigan Medicine
Twitter/X: @MPilewskie
- Stephanie Downs-Canner, MD
Attending Breast Surgical Oncologist & Physician-Scientist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Program Director of the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Program
Twitter/X: @SDownsCanner

Learning Objectives:

• Identify major modifiable and nonmodifiable breast cancer risk factors, including genetic predisposition, family history, breast density, high-risk lesions, prior chest radiation, and lifestyle factors.
• Select and interpret commonly used breast cancer risk-assessment tools—including the Gail, Tyrer-Cuzick, and BCSC models—while recognizing their important limitations.
• Recommend appropriate risk-management strategies based on a patient’s risk level, including enhanced surveillance, lifestyle interventions, genetic evaluation, and endocrine risk-reducing therapy.
• Explain the indications, benefits, limitations, and tradeoffs of managing high-risk breast lesions and pursuing risk-reducing surgery, including bilateral mastectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy.

References:
Risk-Assessment Tools

• National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.https://bcrisktool.cancer.gov/
• National Breast Cancer Foundation. What is the Tyrer-Cuzick model?https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/blog/tyrer-cuzick-model/
• Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. BCSC Breast Cancer Risk Calculator.https://tools.bcsc-scc.ucdavis.edu/BC5yearRisk/#/

Chemoprevention Guideline

• Bevers TB, Ward JH, Arun BK, et al. Breast cancer risk reduction, version 2.2015. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2015;13(8):880-915. doi:10.6004/jnccn.2015.0105

CDC Overview of Risk Factors

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast cancer risk factors. https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/risk-factors/index.html

Emerging Techniques in Risk Assessment

• http://Breastcancer.org. Polygenic risk score may help predict invasive breast cancer risk. https://www.breastcancer.org/news/polygenic-risk-score-invasive-cancer-risk
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Clairity Breast: The first FDA-authorized AI platform to predict breast cancer risk from a mammogram. https://www.bcrf.org/blog/clairity-breast-ai-artificial-intelligence-mammogram-approved/

Risk reduction

• Pilewskie ML, Dimick JB. Bariatric Surgery for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction—Benefit May Not Be One Size Fits All. JAMA Surg. 2023;158(6):641–642. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2023.0534 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37043229/
• Boraka Ö, Klintman M, Rosendahl AH. Physical Activity and Long-Term Risk of Breast Cancer, Associations with Time in Life and Body Composition in the Prospective Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Apr 13;14(8):1960. doi: 10.3390/cancers14081960. PMID: 35454864; PMCID: PMC9025884. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35454864/
• Tzenios N, Tazanios ME, Chahine M. The impact of BMI on breast cancer - an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Feb 2;103(5):e36831. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000036831. PMID: 38306546; PMCID: PMC10843423. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38306546/
• Hartmann LC, Schaid DJ, Woods JE, et al. Efficacy of bilateral prophylactic mastectomy in women with a family history of breast cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 1999; 340(2):77-84. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9887158/
• Domchek SM, Friebel TM, Singer CF, et al. Association of risk-reducing surgery in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers with cancer risk and mortality. JAMA 2010; 304(9):967–975. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20810374/
• Rebbeck TR, Friebel T, Lynch HT, et al. Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy reduces breast cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: The PROSE Study Group. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2004; 22(6):1055-1062. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14981104/
• Matteo Lazzeroni et al. Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial of Low-Dose Tamoxifen to Prevent Recurrence in Breast Noninvasive Neoplasia: A 10-Year Follow-Up of TAM-01 Study. J Clin Oncol 41, 3116-3121(2023).
• Elizabeth S. McDonald et al. GLP-1 Agonists Are Associated With a Significant Reduction in Breast Cancer Incidence in Women. JCO Oncol Pract 22, 1341-1348(2026).

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Ever wonder how a mountain of clinical data transforms into a clinical practice guideline, or whether deviating from one puts you at legal risk? Join us as we pull back the curtain on guidelines methodology, decode the fine print, and put the evidence into practice.

Hosts:

• Scott Steele, MD, MBA – Colon and Rectal Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic
• Nicole L. Petcka, MD, MHPE – General Surgery Resident at Emory University

Guests:

• Bethany Slater, MD – Pediatric Surgeon at Mount Siani, SAGES Guidelines Committee Chair
• Francesco Palazzo, MD – Minimally Invasive Surgeon at Jefferson Health, SAGES Guidelines Committee Co-chair
• Elisa Calabrese, MD – General Surgery Resident at UCSF-East Bay, SAGES/RACS Guidelines Fellow

Resources:
Kumar, S. S., Collings, A. T., Wunker, C., Athanasiadis, D. I., DeLong, C. G., Hong, J. S., Ansari, M. T., Abou-Setta, A., Oliver, E., Berghella, V., Alli, V., Hassan, I., Hollands, C., Sylla, P., Slater, B. J., & Palazzo, F. (2024). SAGES guidelines for the use of laparoscopy during pregnancy. Surgical endoscopy, 38(6), 2947–2963. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-024-10810-1
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You stayed late again, the service is still short-staffed, and when you finally say something, the answer is: you just need to be more efficient. More resilient. That's the go-to explanation for almost everything hard about residency — but what if the problem isn't your resilience at all? In the finale of Beyond the Match, Mckenzie Roebuck, Carl Engelke, Michael Brinton, and Omer Hassan of CoSEF look downstream at what happens after residents match: working conditions, culture and mental health, the practical barriers that make transferring so difficult, why residents may not trust existing reporting systems, and what real accountability and resident voice would require.

Hosts:

• Dr. Mckenzie Roebuck, CoSEF BTK Lead, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, mckenzie.rowe@inova.org
• Dr. Carl Engelke, The Ohio State University, Carl.Engelke@osumc.edu
• Dr. Michael Brinton, Medical College of Wisconsin, mbrinton@mcw.edu
• Dr. Omer Hassan, University of Calgary/Alberta Children's Hospital, omerh91@gmail.com
• CoSEF: X @surgedfellows, http://cosef.org

Learning objectives:

• Summarize the real problems the congressional report identifies in working conditions, mistreatment reporting, and resident mental health
• Distinguish necessary difficulty in residency training from preventable system dysfunction, and describe its relationship to resident well-being and reporting
• Explain the practical barriers to resident mobility, including position availability, training requirements, funding, visa status, professional risk, and stigma
• Describe local and national accountability mechanisms — including program reporting, GMECs, ACGME pathways, and unions — and the limitations of each
• Identify strategies to strengthen resident voice, psychological safety, anti-retaliation protections, and institutional accountability rather than relying on individual resilience alone.

References:

• House Committee on the Judiciary. Medical Mis-Match: How a Residency Hiring Monopoly Harms Patients, Doctors, and the American Public. Published online March 27, 2026.

• Gianakos AL, Freischlag JA, Mercurio AM, et al. Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and the Fear of Retaliation During Surgical Residency Training: A Systematic Review. World J Surg. 2022;46(7):1587-1599. doi:10.1007/s00268-021-06432-6

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35006329/

• Mata DA, Ramos MA, Bansal N, et al. Prevalence of Depression and Depressive Symptoms Among Resident Physicians: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2015;314(22):2373-2383. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.15845

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26647259/

• Malone TL, Zhao Z, Liu TY, Song PXK, Sen S, Scott LJ. Prediction of Suicidal Ideation Risk in a Prospective Cohort Study of Medical Interns. PLoS One. 2021;16(12):e0260620. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0260620

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34855821/

• Drolet BC, Schwede M, Bishop KD, Fischer SA. Compliance and Falsification of Duty Hours: Reports From Residents and Program Directors. J Grad Med Educ. 2013;5(3):368-373. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-12-00375.1

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24404298/

• National Resident Matching Program. The Match Agreement. Accessed August 2026. https://www.nrmp.org/intro-to-the-match/the-match-agreement/.

• Intealth (ECFMG). J-1 Physicians Training in the US (infographic). Accessed August 2026. https://www.intealth.org/pdfs/J-1_US_Infographic.pdf. (Note: Institutional PDF; no PubMed entry available).

• Foote DC, Rosenblatt AE, Amortegui D, et al. Experiences With Unionization Among General Surgery Resident Physicians, Faculty, and Staff. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2421676. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21676

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39018072/

• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Report an Issue. https://www.acgme.org/residents-and-fellows/report-an-issue/?utm_source.

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You matched into your dream program... but only after submitting 80 applications, spending thousands of dollars, and losing sleep wondering if anyone was even reading yours. Meanwhile, on the other side of the screen, a program director is staring down a thousand applications for six spots, trying to figure out who's actually serious about coming. Sound familiar? Join Mckenzie Roebuck, Milanie Milan, Sarah Lund, and Bryanna Stukes of CoSEF as they unpack the residency application arms race: why uncertainty drives overapplication, what preference signaling and application caps actually solve, the trade-offs of virtual versus in-person interviews, and how better transparency, advising, holistic review, and even AI might help applicants and programs find the right fit.

Hosts:

• Dr. Mckenzie Roebuck, CoSEF BTK Lead, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, mckenzie.rowe@inova.org, insta @mrowemd, X @mrowemd1
• Dr. Milanie Milan, Cleveland Clinic, milanie.milan98@gmail.com, insta @m.mdgram
• Dr. Sarah Lund, Mayo Clinic, slund@alum.mit.edu, X @DrSarahLund
• Dr. Bryanna Stukes, UT Southwestern bryanna.stukes@UTSouthwestern.edu
• CoSEF: X @surgedfellows, http://cosef.org

Learning objectives:

• Explain how uncertainty across the residency selection process drives overapplication and distinguish the Match algorithm from the broader application ecosystem
• Describe how preference signaling, application caps, and interview format affect applicant and program behavior, including equity trade-offs
• Identify ways programs can improve both competitiveness and program-level transparency
• Discuss how investment in holistic review and mission-specific selection criteria may improve application review while introducing new challenges.

References:

• House Committee on the Judiciary. Medical Mis-Match: How a Residency Hiring Monopoly Harms Patients, Doctors, and the American Public. Published online March 27, 2026.
• National Resident Matching Program. Advance Data Tables: 2026 Main Residency Match. NRMP. Published March 20, 2026. Accessed August 2026. https://www.nrmp.org/match-data/2026/03/advance-data-tables-2026-main-residency-match/.
• Ulin L, Bernstein SA, Nunes JC, et al. Improving Transparency in the Residency Application Process: Survey Study. JMIR Form Res. 2023;7:e45919. doi:10.2196/45919

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38145482/

• American Medical Association. Transparency in the Resident Physician Application Process (Issue Brief). Published online November 2023. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/cme-issue-brief-resident-application-process.pdf.
• Nilsen K, Walling A, Callaway P, et al. "The End Game" — Students' Perspectives of the National Residency Matching Program: A Focus Group Study. Med Sci Educ. 2018;28(4):729-737. doi:10.1007/s40670-018-0627-1

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34646549/

• Weissbart SJ, Kim SJ, Feinn RS, Stock JA. Relationship Between the Number of Residency Applications and the Yearly Match Rate: Time to Start Thinking About an Application Limit? J Grad Med Educ. 2015;7(1):81-85. doi:10.4300/jgme-d-14-00270.1

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26217439/

• Angus SV, Williams CM, Kwan B, et al. Drivers of Application Inflation: A National Survey of Internal Medicine Residents. Am J Med. 2018. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.01.002

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29355512/

• Lund S, Santucci NM, Zarate Rodriguez J, et al. Message Received? Applicant Insights on Preference Signals in General Surgery Residency Recruitment. J Surg Educ. 2026;83(9):104096. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2026.104096

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42418854/

• Woodward JM, Gan CY, Foote DC, et al. Thanks for the Signal—Now What? Program Director Perspectives on How Preference Signals Are Shaping General Surgery Residency Recruitment. J Surg Educ. 2026;83(9):104061. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2026.104061

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42418853/

• Mullens CL, Picart JK, Dualeh SHA, et al. A Practical Approach for Implementing Holistic Review for General Surgery Resident Recruitment. J Surg Educ. 2026;83(9):104069. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2026.104069

• PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42436210/

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What does it say about a training system when childcare can eat up almost half a resident’s monthly salary — and the physicians doing essential clinical work have almost no ability to negotiate their pay or benefits? A recent House Judiciary Committee report argues that the Match suppresses resident compensation and bargaining power. But if the Match disappeared tomorrow, would residents actually get paid more? Join Mckenzie Roebuck, Maya Hunt, Nicole Santucci, and Michael Kabbash of CoSEF as they unpack resident pay and benefits, where GME funding actually goes, why residency is not a normal labor market, and where real leverage for change might come from.

Hosts:

• Dr. Mckenzie Roebuck, CoSEF BTK Lead, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, mckenzie.rowe@inova.org, insta @mrowemd, X @mrowemd1
• Dr. Maya Hunt, Indiana University, mayahunt@iu.edu
• Dr. Nicole Santucci, Washington University in St. Louis, snicole@wustl.edu
• Dr. Michael Kabbash, University of Florida, michel.kabbash@surgery.ufl.edu, X @MichaelKabbash
• CoSEF: X @surgedfellows, http://cosef.org

Learning objectives:

• Summarize the congressional report’s arguments about resident compensation and bargaining power
• Explain how GME funding supports residency and why federal GME dollars do not map directly onto resident salaries
• Describe how salary and benefit structures affect residents’ financial well-being, family planning, and quality of life
• Identify institutional, policy, and collective strategies to strengthen resident compensation and bargaining power.

References:

• House Committee on the Judiciary. Medical Mis-Match: How a Residency Hiring Monopoly Harms Patients, Doctors, and the American Public. Published online March 27, 2026.
• Association of American Medical Colleges. AAMC Survey of Resident/Fellow Stipends and Benefits. https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/students-residents/report/aamc-survey-resident/fellow-stipends-and-benefits.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Direct Graduate Medical Education (DGME). https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/direct-graduate-medical-education-dgme.
• Foote DC, Rosenblatt AE, Amortegui D, et al. Experiences With Unionization Among General Surgery Resident Physicians, Faculty, and Staff. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2421676. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21676 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39018072/
• Tomei KL, Selby LV, Kirk LM, et al. Beyond Training the Next Generation of Physicians: The Unmeasured Value Added by Residents to Teaching Hospitals and Communities. Acad Med. 2022;97(11):1592-1596. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35731593/ doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000004792
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Common Program Requirements. Accessed August 2026.https://www.acgme.org/programs-and-institutions/programs/common-program-requirements/.
• Rigged or Right? The Residency Match Under Fire | podcast. Behind the Knife. https://behindtheknife.org/podcast/rigged-or-right-the-residency-match-under-fire.

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Introducing Behind the Knife Surgical Critical Care Review!

DOMINATE THE ICU with our comprehensive course that includes audio + simulator + question bank.
Master the management of the critically ill patient with Behind the Knife's all-new Surgical Critical Care Review. Built for high-yield, real-world application, this comprehensive multimedia program gives residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons everything they need to confidently manage the sickest patients in the hospital.

What's included:

• 38 High-Yield Podcasts — Expert-led discussions spanning the full SCORE curriculum for Surgical Critical Care.
• AI Case Simulator — Test your judgment against our one-of-a-kind interactive simulator, built to recreate the pressure of high-stakes clinical scenarios. 110 simulator credits included with purchase.
• Comprehensive Question Bank — Rigorous, board-style multiple-choice questions to sharpen your performance on rounds and on exam day.

Get Instant Access Here: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-critical-care-review
Enjoy this sample episode from the course.

Introducing Behind the Knife Surgical Critical Care Review!

DOMINATE THE ICU with our comprehensive course that includes audio + simulator + question bank.
Master the management of the critically ill patient with Behind the Knife's all-new Surgical Critical Care Review. Built for high-yield, real-world application, this comprehensive multimedia program gives residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons everything they need to confidently manage the sickest patients in the hospital.

What's included:

• 38 High-Yield Podcasts — Expert-led discussions spanning the full SCORE curriculum for Surgical Critical Care.
• AI Case Simulator — Test your judgment against our one-of-a-kind interactive simulator, built to recreate the pressure of high-stakes clinical scenarios. 110 simulator credits included with purchase.
• Comprehensive Question Bank — Rigorous, board-style multiple-choice questions to sharpen your performance on rounds and on exam day.

Get Instant Access Here: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-critical-care-review
Enjoy this sample episode from the course.

Introducing Behind the Knife Surgical Critical Care Review!

DOMINATE THE ICU with our comprehensive course that includes audio + simulator + question bank.
Master the management of the critically ill patient with Behind the Knife's all-new Surgical Critical Care Review. Built for high-yield, real-world application, this comprehensive multimedia program gives residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons everything they need to confidently manage the sickest patients in the hospital.

What's included:

• 38 High-Yield Podcasts — Expert-led discussions spanning the full SCORE curriculum for Surgical Critical Care.
• AI Case Simulator — Test your judgment against our one-of-a-kind interactive simulator, built to recreate the pressure of high-stakes clinical scenarios. 110 simulator credits included with purchase.
• Comprehensive Question Bank — Rigorous, board-style multiple-choice questions to sharpen your performance on rounds and on exam day.

Get Instant Access Here: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-critical-care-review
Enjoy this sample episode from the course.

Introducing Behind the Knife Surgical Critical Care Review!

DOMINATE THE ICU with our comprehensive course that includes audio + simulator + question bank.
Master the management of the critically ill patient with Behind the Knife's all-new Surgical Critical Care Review. Built for high-yield, real-world application, this comprehensive multimedia program gives residents, fellows, and practicing surgeons everything they need to confidently manage the sickest patients in the hospital.

What's included:

• 38 High-Yield Podcasts — Expert-led discussions spanning the full SCORE curriculum for Surgical Critical Care.
• AI Case Simulator — Test your judgment against our one-of-a-kind interactive simulator, built to recreate the pressure of high-stakes clinical scenarios. 110 simulator credits included with purchase.
• Comprehensive Question Bank — Rigorous, board-style multiple-choice questions to sharpen your performance on rounds and on exam day.

Get Instant Access Here: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-critical-care-review

Enjoy this sample episode from the course.