Transition from surgical trainee to consultant practice: a scoping review of non-clinical deficiencies in higher surgical training

This review exposes a significant research deficit in surgical transition studies compared to medicine, hindering development of targeted interventions. The predominance of generic, short-term solutions inadequately addresses surgery-specific challenges such as high-stakes decision-making, complex procedural management, and multidisciplinary team leadership. Current evidence suggests that management, leadership, and supervision represent universal training gaps, but surgery-specific deficiencies remain poorly characterized. There is urgent need for mixed-methods research to comprehensively understand surgical transition challenges and develop specialty-specific, longitudinally-evaluated interventions. Addressing these gaps is essential for improving new consultant preparedness, reducing burnout, and enhancing patient safety in surgical services.