Comparison of Internal Medicine and General Surgery Residents’ Assessments of Risk of Postsurgical Complications in Surgically Complex Patients

This study examined risk estimates for complex major surgery by trainees in internal medicine and in general surgery using seven clinical scenarios.  Surgery residents expressed more confidence in their estimates, but were less likely to use published risk models.  Most trainees in both specialties significantly overestimated every type of risk, averaging a quarter to a third higher than risk model predictions.