Evaluation of general surgery residency program websites

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the websites of general surgery residency programs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Methods Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) websites (n = 254) were accessed between October 2016 and January 2017 and evaluated for content, including: education, resident and faculty information, program environment and specific recruitment incentives. Results General information, such as conference information, rotations, and faculty information were available for more than 80% of programs. However, specific details about residents, faculty, and applicant information were noticeably lacking. This included resident biographical data and research, faculty names and research endeavors, alumni locations and fellowship placement. Applicant information, specifically board score requirements, were present in less than half of websites nationally. Regionally, websites from the Midwest were the most detailed in the information they provided, while those from the Northeast were the least informative. Conclusions As a primary information source for potential future residents, general surgery programs need to maximize the content and utility of their websites in order to attract prospective residents to their programs.