General surgery residency is increasingly focused on core procedures, with a significant decline in advanced operative experience over the last 16 years, which is concerning for diverse surgical practice.

• Core operative volume has risen by 7.2 cases/year, making up 74.5% of total cases, while advanced volume decreased by 0.9 cases/year.
• This trend is evident among both chief and junior residents, with advanced exposure dropping across numerous subspecialties.

Programs may need interventions to ensure residents gain adequate experience in less common, advanced procedures vital for comprehensive surgical training.