The Aging of Our Surgical Educators

Carl E. Haisch, M.D.East Carolina UniversityPanel APDS March 2012

Panel Members

• Dr. J. Patrick O’Leary – Executive Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Assistant VP Strategic Planning, Florida International University, Herbert Wetheim College of Medicine

• Dr. Patricia Numann – President of the American College of Surgeons, Lloyd S. Rogers Professor Emeritus, Upstate Medical University

• Dr. Thomas Whalen – CMO of Lehigh Valley Hospital System

Goals of the Panel

• Examine the Demographics of General Surgeons• Examine the Needs for Training both Medical

Students and Residents• Transitioning to the Role of Senior Surgeon• Evaluate How Senior Surgeons can be Utilized in

Training both Medical Students and General Surgery Residents

• When Should a Senior Surgeon Stop Operating

Demographics of General Surgeons

• Review University Faculty• Data on All Surgeons• Changing Number of Learners

Shortage of General Surgeons

• Access to Care and the Surgeon Shortage– American Surgical Association Forum– George F. Sheldon

– Annals of Surgery October 2010

• The Developing Crisis in the National General Surgery Workforce– Joseph B. Cofer and Phillip Burns

– JACS May 2008

Analysis in Brief AAMC Oct 2009

Analysis in Brief AAMC Oct 2009

Analysis in Brief AAMC Oct 2009

Analysis in Brief AAMC Oct 2009

Physician Specialty Data AAMC Nov 2008

Physician Specialty Data 2008 AAMC

Physician Specialty Data 2008 AAMC

Supply and Demand

• Increased Class Sizes of Medical Students• Number of New Medical Schools– Allopathic – Osteopathic

Analysis in Brief AAMC Sept 2009

Medical Student Enrollment

Medical School Enrollment SurveyAAMC June 2011

Problems Present for Trainers

• Gap Between – Marked Need for Trainers within the next 5 years – Supply of Trainers within the next 5 years

• Pressured to Produce– Clinically– Research

Summary

• Number of Trainees will increase• No Major Change General Surgeons Produced• Trainers are Aging• The Number of Active Surgeons is Decreasing

Conclusions

• Make Sure we are Utilizing Senior Faculty Wisely

• Need to Think about Ways to Increase the Number of trainers

Questions