A study of 295 U.S. surgical residency programs indicates that 98.3% demonstrated negative net income after accounting for living expenses and childcare costs. This trend persisted across various child age groups and regions, with the West exhibiting the steepest losses averaging -$18,852. The findings reveal that the current salaries of surgical residents are insufficient to support family stability, potentially dissuading candidates from pursuing surgical training or starting families while in residency.
Journal Article by Mercante MG, Tocco EG (…) Witt RG et 7 al. in JAMA Netw Open