Introduction: The training and certification of general surgeons has become an increasing source of concern for the surgical training programs in Colombia; moreover, there does no exist an accurate diagnosis of the current situation which would allow continuous adjustments and improvements. This study describes, from the residents´ perspective, the academic and clinical duties in the existing General Surgery training programs in Bogota, hoping to obtain, in a second phase of the study, information pertaining to the rest of the country. Materials and methods: A survey was conducted covering all active General Surgery residents in Bogota. The information was tabulated in an Excel data base. Results: Information was gathered from 97.6% of the whole of General Surgery residents in hospitals in the city of Bogota, covering four main variables: demographic profiles, hospital and academic activities, degree of personal satisfaction, and expectation for future professional practice. Conclusions: Analysis of the information demonstrates that our General Surgery residents are satisfied with their programs. However, their welfare does not appear to be a priority; furthermore, the necessary facilities and tools for research are markedly absent, and as the logical result they generate scarce publications.