Commentary: Integrated Surgical Residency Initiative: Implications for Cardiothoracic Surgery

摘要

I read with great interest the article authored by Ikonomidis et al. The integrated 6-year format for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons exploded into existence only 5 short years ago. Explode seems a strong descriptor but when one considers the rapid expansion in the number of programs, the initially high and growing number of applicants, and the considerable attention devoted to the paradigm at national meetings, the description is apt.The authors give a concise history of the changes that brought about the conceptualization of this approach to cardiothoracic surgical training. They outline a series of events that transpired making an integrated straight-out-of-medical-school approach to training a clear and logical solution.