A psychological profile of surgeons and surgical residents.

Background: Approximately 20 percent of general surgery residents never complete their original residency programs. The psychological, programmatic, and financial costs for this attrition are substantial for both the residents, who spend valuable time and money pursuing incompatible career paths, and the residency programs, which also lose valuable time and money invested in these residents. There is a large amount of information in the field about the performance dimensions and skill sets of surgeons and surgical residents.