Worlds apart: training in rural South Africa

摘要

Background: Reforms in the delivery of surgical and anaesthetic services in the UK have reduced the opportunity for trainees to acquire 'hands-on' training. These problems are seen in other European countries and in North America.Context: Surgical and anaesthetic services within developed health care systems tend to be specialised, and are often consultant led. In rural South Africa there is a shortage of surgeons andanaesthetists to service the population, and the public health care system is vastly over-burdened. Trauma accounts for a large percentage of the surgical and anaesthetic workload. Innovation: This report compares the anaesthetic and surgical training experience of two first-year registrars during a 6-month training period in rural South Africa and a 6-month training period in the UK.