Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Uses Operations Research Tools to Improve Surgeon Training

Since the advent of work-hour limitations for surgical trainees, medical faculties have been concerned by inadequacies in two areas of resident training programs: operating room experience, which residents need to develop competence and confidence during surgery, and continuity of patient care, which engenders in residents a sense of responsibility and accountability. Previous operations research literature on resident scheduling models has discussed the development of mathematical programming models that assign residents to rotations or shifts; however, this literature has neglected the educational component. In this work, we frame the problem from an educational perspective, and we also describe the mathematical details behind several ideas and analyses in the medical literature. In addition, we present the patient assignment system, which we piloted at a large academic medical center, and discuss the relationship between the logistical and cultural challenges faced in medical training.