International exchange in oral and maxillofacial surgery: comparison of the training pathways in the UK and USA at the end of the twentieth century

The training of oral and maxillofacial surgeons varies considerably throughout the world and is reflected in the length of programme and scope of practice. The duration of training and workload for British and American trainees have long been topics of discussion and debate. The purpose of this paper was to compare the general training pathways of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the UK and USA, as exemplified by the programme at the University of California in San Francisco, and in the UK by that at the East Lancashire Oral and Maxillofacial Unit.