An Original Study: Is There an Optimal Time to Complete Dedicated Research During Surgical Residency? Twelve Years of Research Experience After PGY2 or PGY3.

Objective: We aimed to determine if there is an optimal time to complete dedicated research during surgical residency.

Background: Research is an integral part of academic general surgical residency, and dedicated research usually occurs after the 2nd or 3rd post-graduate year (PGY). The timing of dedicated research and its association with resident productivity, self-assessed competency (including technical skills), and fellowship match is not known.