Developing The Academic Surgeon
By Ali Khoynezhad MD PhD
During the past decade, the duties of young academic surgeons have become more demanding with increasing expectations to earn more clinical income while maintaining academic standards both in teaching and in the pursuit of new knowledge and technology.
In order to guide young academic surgeons, Drs. Robert C. Robbins and Mark J. Krasna, co-chaired this year’s Developing the Academic Surgeon symposium sponsored by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery “AATS”. This annual one half day symposium established in 1999 is presented at the forefront of the association’s annual program.
“Developing The Academic Surgeon” is a great source of information for surgeons interested in academic cardiothoracic surgery. Drs. Michael J. Mack and R. Duane Davis opened the program with a presentation on “The CT surgeon as an academician in private and university practice”. Drs. Mack and Davis explained the advantages and disadvantages of private vs. academic practice models, including an outline of the funding possibilities for research. It was clear that in this era of cardiothoracic surgery the differences between academic and private practice are becoming increasingly smaller.
Dr. David J. Sugarbaker of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dr. Craig R. Smith of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital each presented differing models for establishing a multi-institutional academic based practice. Dr. Sugarbaker explained the Brigham’s structure for establishing a multi-center thoracic academic practice. As a hub and spoke model, the main academic hospital collaborates and provides medical leadership and training to the surgeons of multiple community medical centers. Dr. Smith followed with the cardiac surgery model of a multi-institutional academic practice, wherein Columbia contracts with multiple affiliated hospitals. For a management fee, the affiliated hospitals have access to innovations and clinical trials of the main hospital as well as assistance with high-risk cases and practice management, thereby improving the quality of patient care.
Drs. King F. Kwong and David F. Torchiana further expanded on the topic “The new academic CT surgeon – A model for successful leadership”. Dr. Kwong opined on the characteristics of a successful academic thoracic surgeon and Dr. Torchiana presented an insightful talk on surgeons in administration and leadership positions.
Aside becoming full-time politicians, Dr. Timothy J. Gardner enumerated on the ways for cardiothoracic surgeons to become active in local and national healthcare policies in his presentation on “The thoracic surgeon as a political player in healthcare”.
Dr. Eric A. Rose, shared his experience on “Innovations, intellectual property, industry support” by outlining the pathway from translational research and its funding through industry and other sources to finding solutions and marketing clinical inventions. Dr. Rose also explained the different ways of securing an intellectual property such as patent and intellectual franchise.
The last presentations of this year’s symposium were entitled “Setting up Multi-disciplinary care program”. Drs. Mark J. Krasna and Robert E. Michler shared their experience with building new facilities for and organizing thoracic and cardiac surgery programs.
Overall, the symposium contained a compendium of excellent presentations that were suited to the needs of academic surgeons at different levels. Future participation for surgeons interested in academic cardiothoracic surgery is highly recommended.
