(3) Trends in Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery Experience in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Training Programs

Abstract:

Purpose: The effect of oral and maxillofacial surgeons trained in cleft and craniomaxillofacial (CCMF) surgery on oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) resident education is not well known. The aims of this study were to: document the numbers of active CCMF faculty in OMS residency programs, compare residents’ CCMF clinical experience between programs with or without CCMF faculty, and estimate academic productivity related to this discipline in OMS residency programs with CCMF surgeons.

Materials and methods: An anonymous survey of OMS residency directors in the United States, distributed electronically by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, was used to conduct a cross-sectional study. The survey instrument consisted of 3 sections: CCMF faculty and program-related information, cleft/craniofacial curriculum in residency program, and academic productivity related to CCMF surgeons. Descriptive statistics and continuous/ordinal variables were summarized. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were completed. Two-sided P values of < .05 were statistically significant.

Results: There were 81 completed surveys (89 surveyed programs, 91% response rate; military programs were excluded). Almost half of OMS training programs have at least one attending surgeon who completed a CCMF fellowship (n = 36/81, 44.4%). OMS departments with a program director or chair trained in CCMF surgery performed more operations, with resident involvement, on patients with facial differences (P-value < .001) and were more likely to publish at least one manuscript related to CCMF surgery in the last 5 years (P-value = .029) than programs without a CCMF surgeon. Because of case volume issues, programs with CCMF faculty were not recruiting additional CCMF surgeons.

Conclusion: CCMF faculty members increase opportunities for OMS resident involvement and may potentially impact the number of residency applications to these programs from residents interested in CCMF surgeons. There is a modest level of academic productivity in programs with CCMF surgeons. This should improve as the cohort of CCMF surgeons increases.

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