Abstract
Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Lille, Service de Neurochirurgie et Chirurgie du Rachis, Lille, France.
Assessment of current thoughts regarding spinal fellowships amongst spinal fellows in the United Kingdom and abroad
Qualitative analysis provides rich and contextual detail that cannot be borne out by quantitative research. We undertook detailed interviews amongst fellows who have varying fellowship experience both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Ten fellows, all of whom were approaching their Certificate of Completion of Training (or equivalent) in Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery, or just awarded the certificate. All undertaking/undertaken at least one 12-month fellowship.
Qualitative experiences
A large unit provides a breadth of pathology that may is usually not encountered in smaller units. Fellows who worked in such units felt confident that they would recognise a variety of pathologies, but did not necessarily feel confident in their surgical management. Operative exposure to deformity surgery, whilst not necessarily a future part of practice, was felt useful for the added technical skills it provides. Fellows attending a smaller unit, where they may have been the sole ‘spinal fellow’, reported greater satisfaction in operative experience.
Interestingly, there was felt to be a ‘saturation point’, where a fellow perceived no further educational benefit from remaining in one particular unit.
A fellowship in spinal surgery is useful in preparing for independent practice as a spinal surgeon. Large units provide skills that are applicable to several aspects of spinal surgery. There appears to be a difference in breadth and complexity of pathology versus operative experience.
