Survey on Resident Education for Surgical Dermatology in South Korea

Abstract

Background: With the increasing demand for surgical procedures in dermatology, resident education in surgical dermatology has become important for delivering high-quality treatment. However, it remains unclear if a sufficient number of residency programs with quality standards exist, as there has been little research on this subject in South Korea. Objective: To identif y the status of surgical dermatology education among residents and assess dermatologists’ perceptions of the subject. Methods: A 35-question sur vey was developed and distributed to all resident training hospitals and local clinics listed by the Korean Society of Dermatologic Surger y. Only third- and fourth- year residents were included and board-certified specialists from training hospitals and local clinics responded to the sur veys. Results: Sur vey participants included 88 residents and 120 specialists of whom one-quarter of the residents attended regular monthly educational sessions. Most residents (93%) participated in cosmetic procedures, and many performed laser therapy. However, the opportunity for toxin or filler injection was rare, with only 12% of the residents having experience with filler injec- tions. In response, 49% of residents and 32% of specialists said that more cosmetic training was required, whereas 28% of residents and 50% of specialists said that more training for both cosmetic and conventional surgeries was necessar y. Conclusion: The sur vey demonstrated a need for more training programs in surgical dermatol- ogy during residency and a perception gap between residents and specialists. Therefore, devel- oping educational residency programs that focus on basic dermatologic surger y principles and their applications in cosmetic procedures is essential.