National survey on the certification of competence in gynecologic surgical oncology: An AGOF (association of gynecologists in training) study

Louise Benoit; Océane Pecheux; Frederic Glicenstein; Alexane Tournier; Rayan Hamadmad; Léa Descourvieres; Cherif Akaldios; AGOF

doi:10.1016/j.jogoh.2022.102371

National survey on the certification of competence in gynecologic surgical oncology: An AGOF (association of gynecologists in training) study

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod. 2022 May;51(5):102371. doi: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2022.102371. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Authors

Louise Benoit¹, Océane Pecheux², Frederic Glicenstein³, Alexane Tournier⁴, Rayan Hamadmad⁵, Léa Descourvieres⁶, Cherif Akaldios⁷; AGOF

Affiliations

¹ Gynecologic and Breast Oncologic Surgery Department, European Hospital Georges-Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 20 Rue Leblanc, Paris 75015, France; Université Paris Cité, T3S, INSERM UMR-S 1124, 45 rue des Saints Pères, Paris, France. Electronic address: louise.benoit@aphp.fr.
² Department of gynecology and obstetrics, rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, University Hospital of Geneva, Genève 1205, Switzerland.
³ Department of gynecology and obstetrics, CHU Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre university hospital, 78 rue du général Leclerc, Le Kremlin Bicêtre 94270, France.
⁴ Department of obstetrics and gynecolog, Jeanne de Flandres Hospital, University Hospital of Lille, avenue Eugène Avinée, Lille 59000, France.
⁵ Port Royal university hospital, AP-HP, 123 boulevard de Port-Royal, Paris 75005, France.
⁶ Department of obstetrics and gynecolog, University Hospital of Lille, Jeanne de Flandres Hospital, avenue Eugène Avinée, Lille 59000, France.
⁷ University hospital of Strasbourg, CHU de Hautepierre, 1, avenue Molière, Strasbourg cedex 67098, France.

PMID: 35390536
DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2022.102371

Abstract

Introduction: Female malignancies can require complex surgeries with expert techniques. A French certification of competence in gynecological cancer surgery has been elaborated in 2021 to certify specialized surgeons. For trainees, this would require a practical curriculum (number of rotations in certain departments), a surgical logbook and the theoretical European exam. The objective of our work was to interrogate trainees in gynecology and obstetrics on their oncological training and their opinion on the certification.

Material and methods: We conducted a national French prospective, observational study, using a web-based questionnaire from 06/2021-02/2022. All trainees were interrogated on their overall training in gynecological oncology. The opinion on the certification was assessed for the sub-group willing to specialize in oncological surgical gynecology.

Results: One hundred and twenty-five responded, and 66.1% wanted to specialize in surgical oncology. Many had completed one rotation in a specialized gynecological oncology center (45.3%) and in digestive surgery (48.8%). Concerning the theoretical training, 92% of the respondents believed it to be insufficient. Eighty participants (64%) wished to specialize in oncological surgical gynecology and were interrogated on the certification. The majority (65%) thought the three criteria were difficult to achieve but adequate. The most difficult criterium was the practical curriculum (70.5%) followed by the surgical logbook (55.1%) due to inequalities of training amongst French regions.

Conclusion: Trainees in gynecology and obstetrics seem ready to take a specialized certification in surgical gynecological oncology to improve patient care. However, they expressed concerns due the disparities amongst regions in accessing certain specialized departments.

Keywords: Gynecological cancer; Gynecological oncology; Postgraduate training; Surgery.

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Certification
Female
Genital Neoplasms, Female* / surgery
Gynecology* / education
Humans
Obstetrics* / education
Prospective Studies
Surgical Oncology* / education