Residency in General Surgery (REC)
Society’s need for general surgeons can be seen in the number of external consultation services, surgical procedures and hospitalization of patients in the public and private health systems, in our country and in our state. Of the five top hospitalization diagnoses in public and private hospitals, three are directly related to this specialty: digestive tract problems, traumatisms and benign and malignant tumors (INEGI 2009). Regarding causes of death in public and private institutions in the state of Nuevo León, the top causes are tumors and circulatory diseases alike; second place is held by endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases; respiratory diseases come third; and digestive tract diseases hold fourth place (2009).
Progress in general surgery in Mexico demands trained specialists who can not only solve clinical situations effectively, but also understand and apply the latest technology, and eventually develop efficient alternatives in teaching management and research, making them agents of change in the community. Parallel to the efficiency required to practice General Surgery, this specialty demands the creation of specialists who are capable of performing as honest leaders with a particular sense of humanism in the execution of their functions.