ArticleJPRAS open2020
Plastic surgery training in the UK: Results from a national survey of trainee experiences.
Article in JPRAS open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Undergraduate deficits in plastic surgery exposure and awareness of the specialty: a systematic review.Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England · 2025Pooled it
- SCULPT: Medical student and resident doctor comprehension, uptake of learning and perception of aesthetic surgery and training.JPRAS open · 2026Article
- Knowledge and Awareness of Plastic Surgery Training Among UK Undergraduate Medical Students: A National Cross-sectional Study.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Perceptions of Plastic Surgery Training in the United Kingdom: A Mixed-Methods Trainee Survey.Cureus · 2026Article
- Perceptions and Limitations of Free Flap Procedures Among Surgeons in Jordan: A Cross-sectional Study.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Trends in Gender, Ethnicity and Less-Than-Full-Time Training among Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Registrars and Consultants between 2009 and 2020.JPRAS open · 2024Article
- Plastic Surgery Training across Seven Continents: Results from the First Global Trainee Survey.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2022Article
- Article
- Trainee and trainer experiences and recommendations for plastic surgery training: A qualitative pilot study.JPRAS open · 2022Article
- The effect of COVID-19 on higher plastic surgery training in the UK: A national survey of impact and damage limitation.Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS · 2021Article
- Article
- The optimistic pursuit of plastic surgery training.JPRAS open · 2021Article
- Overcoming the Impact of COVID-19 on Surgical Mentorship: A Scoping Review of Long-distance Mentorship in Surgery.Journal of surgical educationArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPlastic surgery training in the UK continues to evolve towards an outcome-based rather than time-served curriculum. UK plastic surgery trainees are appointed nationally, and are assessed according to national standards, but training is delivered regionally. This study sought opinion from current UK plastic surgery trainees in order to highlight strengths and shortcomings of the higher surgical training programme.
methodA cross-sectional study was designed and administered by the UK Plastic Surgery Trainees Association (PLASTA). A questionnaire was distributed to all UK plastic surgery trainees holding a National Training Number, using the REDCap web-based application.
resultsOf the 320 UK plastic surgery trainees, 131 (41%) participated in this survey, with responses from all 12 UK training regions. The most common subspecialty career aspirations for trainees were hand surgery, cleft lip and palate, lower limb and oncoplastic breast reconstruction. The survey highlighted regional variation in teaching programmes, the ability to achieve indicative operative logbook numbers, and training in aesthetic surgery. Of the trainees, 82% expressed a desire to undertake a fellowship within their training, but most did not know whether their deanery would support this. Fifteen per cent of the respondents were currently training flexibly and the majority of these had experienced negative behaviours towards their less than full time working status. Of the respondents, 44% reported stress, 25% reported a lack of autonomy and 17% reported feeling burnt out at work at least once a week. A total of 85% perceived that they did not have access to a mentoring service.
conclusionsPlastic surgery remains a popular and highly competitive surgical speciality in the UK, and many trainees reported high levels of satisfaction during their training. Aspects of training that could be improved have been highlighted and recommendations made accordingly.
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Registered trials
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