In 1982 Dean Warren delivered the presidential address "Not for the Profession… For the People" in which he identified substandard surgical residency programs graduating residents who were unable to pass American Board of Surgery exams. Drs. Warren and Shires as members of the independent ACGME began to close the substandard programs in order to improve surgical care for average Americans i.e. "for the people". By 2003 these changes dramatically reduced the failure rate for the ABS exams and trained good surgeons who could operate independently however the residents were on duty for every other or every third night. In 2003 the ACGME mandated duty hour restrictions in order improve resident wellness and improve the training environment for the profession. However, work hour restrictions reduced the time surgical residents spent in the hospital environment primarily when residents had more autonomy and had exposure to emergency cases which degraded readiness for independent practice. Surgical educators in the 2 decades after the work hour restrictions have improved techniques of training so graduates could not only pass the board exams but also be prepared for independent practice. Surgical residency training has improved by both the changes implemented by the independent ACGME in 1981 and by the work hour restrictions mandated in 2003. Five recommendations are made to ensure that Dr Warren's culture of excellence in surgical training continues in an environment that enhances wellbeing of the trainee i.e. "For the People and the Profession".
Keywords: general surgery; history; resident education; surgical education; surgical quality.