Attrition Rate in Military General Surgery GME and Effect on Quality of Military Programs.

Introduction: The attrition rate in civilian general surgery Graduate Medical Education (GME) is estimated at 20%, while estimates of attrition in military general surgery (MGS) GME programs using the same methodology are nearly twice that. We sought to identify the true attrition rate in MGS GME, identify factors influencing attrition, and examine the relationship between attrition and quality of MGS GME.

Methods: Deidentified data were collected on categorical general surgery residents matriculating from 2010 to 2013 from all 12 MGS residency programs.