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The following is a summary of “Surgeon-Scientists Going Extinct: Last Call for Action or Too Late?” published in the November 2024 issue of Surgery by Pfister et al.
Surgeon-scientists, professionals who combine patient care and research, have been dwindling in number, with their societal impact decreasing significantly.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to define the concept of surgeon-scientists and identify the causes of the decline.
They systematically reviewed surgeon-scientists and surveyed 141 young academic surgeons (global online survey). A gap analysis was performed to identify the implementation gaps in proposed solutions and develop a rescue plan.
The results showed that surgeon-scientists must maintain both patient care and research excellence. The decline has reached critical levels due to factors such as hospital leadership focusing on profits, a flawed selection process not based on excellence, and a lack of appreciation for the academic mission. The study emphasized that innovation needs to be prioritized and suggested that successful solutions should include collaboration between hospitals, universities, and the political sphere (P-value < 0.05).
They concluded that the future of surgeon-scientists depends on adapting societal priorities toward innovation or risk losing these essential professionals permanently.
