Research and surgery. French experiences

Clinical research in surgery often involves multicenter randomised studies. French associations for surgical research, created in the 1980s, have promoted an increase in the French contribution to international clinical research. According to a ten-year audit of randomised trials, France was the second European country (after the UK) for the number of published trials. Basic research in surgery was stimulated by the creation of a specific diploma (Diplome d'etudes approfondies de sciences chirurgicales). It gives young surgeons the opportunity to be trained in basic research during a full-time one-year course in a laboratory. Some laureates carry on their research to PhD level. From 1986 to 2001, 611 students received the Diploma.