19. Augmenting our Training Paradigm: Formalizing Business Education during Plastic Surgery Residency

Abstract

Background: Physicians are obtaining their MBA at increasing rates as knowledge of business practices has become increasingly valuable in our evolving healthcare systems. Within the field of plastic surgery, the majority of residents enter private practice after graduation. The influence of various marketing tools and social media in our field, makes plastic surgeons uniquely situated to benefit from formal business education. Residents may therefore value the ability to select residency programs that align with their professional goals by including business topics in their curriculum. The aim of this study is to assess the exposure to business education during training at integrated plastic surgery residency programs in the United States. Methods: Websites for all integrated PRS residency programs in the US were interrogated for mention of business education during residency. Content was codified as business-related if it included topics such as billing, coding, practice management, finance, administration, or systems-based practice. This content on the website was further codified to whether it included active language (i.e. specific instruction in business topics) or passive language (i.e. exposure by way of standard residency education). The number of listed program faculty with an MBA was also recorded. Results: Twenty-one programs (25%) included mention of business-related education on their website. Of these, 71% (n=15) endorsed active instruction, with 29% (n=6) passive. There was no significant association found between programs providing business education and having MBA leadership within the department (p=0.09). Of the 21 programs, only one described an intentional, dedicated curriculum with the specific goal of familiarizing residents with the business aspect of medicine. Conclusion: A basic understanding of the business of medicine is widely regarded as beneficial for physicians, with plastic surgeons perhaps being especially positioned to gain from such knowledge. Yet, there exist few formalized opportunities within training to obtain business skills, with only a quarter of integrated residency programs in the United States indicating any sort of business education. Residency programs aiming to adequately prepare their graduates for their prospective careers in plastic surgery should consider implementing a business curriculum during training.