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Workforce Shortage for General Surgeons: Results from the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Track (SSAT) Surgeon Shortage Survey

  • Original Article
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Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery Aims and scope

Abstract

Background

Population shifts among surgeons and the general populous will contribute to a predicted general surgeon shortage by 2020. The Public Policy and Advocacy Committee of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract designed and conducted a survey to assess perceptions and possible solutions from important stakeholders: practicing surgeons of the society, general surgery residents, and medical students.

Results

Responses from 1,208 participants: 658 practicing surgeons, 183 general surgery residents, and 367 medical students, were analyzed. There was a strong perception of a current and future surgeon shortage. The majority of surgeons (59.3 %) and residents (64.5 %) perceived a current general surgeon shortage, while 28.6 % of medical students responded the same. When asked of a perceived general surgery shortage in 20 years, 82.4, 81.4, and 51 % said “yes”, respectively. There were generational differences in responses to contributors and solutions for the impending shortage. Surgeons placed a high value on improving reimbursement, tort reform, and surgeon burnout, while residents held a strong interest in a national loan forgiveness program and improving lifestyle barriers.

Conclusion

Our survey offers insight into possible solutions to ward off a surgeon shortage that should be addressed with programmatic changes in residency training and by reform of the national health care system.

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Notes

  1. SSAT Public Policy Committee, 2011–2012: Daniel B. Jones, M.D., M.S. Chair; KMarie Reid Lombardo, M.D., M.S, Co-Chair; David Bentrem, M.D.; Ross F. Goldberg, M.D.; Peter T. Hallowell, M.D.; Johnathan R. Hiatt, M.D.; Tara S. Kent, M.D., M.S.; Stuart G. Marcus, M.D.; Fabrizio Michelassi, M.D., ex-officio; Marek Rudnicki, M.D.; Shean Satgunam, M.D.; Thomas Schnelldorfer, M.D.; Richard Smith, M.D.

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to the late George Sheldon, MD, FACS, for his assistance in reviewing questions and for making recommendations during the development phase of the surgeon shortage survey. This study was funded by the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

Conflict of Interest

No financial disclosures or conflicts of interest for any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    KMarie Reid-Lombardo

  2. Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Charity Celeste Glass & Daniel B. Jones

  3. Department of Oncology, St. Vincent Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT, USA

    Stuart G. Marcus

  4. Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Juliette Liesinger

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  1. KMarie Reid-Lombardo
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the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee of the SSAT

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Correspondence to KMarie Reid-Lombardo.

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Reid-Lombardo, K., Glass, C.C., Marcus, S.G. et al. Workforce Shortage for General Surgeons: Results from the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Track (SSAT) Surgeon Shortage Survey. J Gastrointest Surg 18, 2061–2073 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-014-2636-8

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