The promise and problems of non-physician practitioners in general surgery education: Results of a multi-center, mixed-methods study of faculty.

Background: Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants - called non-physician practitioners or NPPs - are common, but little is known about their educational promise and problems.

Methods: General surgery faculty in 13 residency programs were surveyed (N = 279 with a 71% response rate) and interviewed (N = 43) about experiences with NPPs. The survey documents overall patterns and differences by program type and primary service; interviews point to deeper rationales and concerns.