Abstract: Leadership Positions in Academic Plastic Surgery: Are You a Candidate?

Abstract

PURPOSE: It is unclear which trainees will ultimately be successful in acquiring leadership roles in academic plastic surgery.1–3 We sought to identify factors associated with current chiefs and chairman in academic plastic surgery to encourage and shape future leaders of tomorrow. METHODS: Academic plastic surgery chiefs and chairman (n = 93) were identified through an Internet-based search of all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited residency and fellowship training programs during the year of 2015. Gender, academic rank, board certification, time since certification, medical school attended, residency program attended, fellowships, advanced degrees, obtaining leadership roles at trainees institution, and h- index were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 93 chiefs and chairman, 94% were male and 81% obtained full professor status. 98% were certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The mean time since certification was 22 years (range 7–45 years). 87% graduated from medical schools within the United States. 9 plastic surgery programs were responsible for training 42% of the current chiefs/chairmen in plastic surgery. 56% had pursued fellowships beyond their primary plastic surgery training. 22% had obtained advanced degrees beyond a medical degree. 29% percent of chiefs and chairman obtained leadership roles at the institution where they had completed plastic surgery training. The mean h index was 17.6 (range 1- 63). Graduates of the 9 most represented residency programs had a mean h index of 21 vs. 15 when compared to the remaining chiefs/chairmen. (p<0.0062) CONCLUSIONS: Chiefs and Chairman in plastic surgery are more likely to be male, hold an academic rank of professor, and have completed a fellowship after residency. They are also more likely to have trained at 1 of the 9 following institutions: Harvard, Emory, NYU, UPMC, Johns Hopkins, University of Chicago, Duke, UT Southwestern and University of Michigan. DISCLOSURE/FINANCIAL SUPPORT:None of the authors has any financial support or interest with any institutions mentioned in this paper. REFERENCES: 1. Gast KM, Kuzon WM Jr, Adelman EE, Waljee JF. Influence of training institution on academic affiliation and productivity among plastic surgery faculty in the United States. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2014 Sep;134(3):570–8. 2. DeLong MR, Hughes DB, Tandon VJ, Choi BD, Zenn MR. Factors influencing fellowship selection, career trajectory, and academic productivity among plastic surgeons. Plastic Reconstructive Surg. 2014 Mar;133(3):730–6. 3. Herrera FA, Chang EI, Suliman A, Tseng CY, Bradley JP. Recent trends in resident career choices after plastic surgery training. Ann Plast Surg. 2013 Jun;70(6):694–7.