Surgical rotations: The good, the bad, and the ugly

The best correlations with a dream rotation were: clinical experience - quality and quantity of cases (r = 0.83), operative experience (r = 0.83), patient management responsibilities (r = 0.78), and outpatient office experience (r = 0.77). All p-values were < 0.05. The following correlated less with a dream rotation: conferences (r = 0.56, p < 0.05), medical student experience (r = 0.56, p < 0.05), and hospital facilities (r = 0.28, not significant.). Scut work was the only category for which there was a negative correlation with a dream rotation (r = −0.53, p < 0.05). Eighty-six percent of residents reported compliance with ACGME work hour recommendations, with no apparent correlation with a dream rotation.