Caitlin Halbert1, Robert Catania2, David Earle3, Igor Elyash4, Nicole Fearing5, Seung Gwon6, Rohan Joseph7, Fernando Mier8, Andrew Morfesi9, Roy Shen10, Daniel Slack11, Shirin Towfigh12, Jarvis Walters13, Kevin Wasco14, Debbie Youngelman15. 1. Christiana Care Health System, 501 West 14th Street, Wilmington, DE, 19802, USA. Caitlin.a.halbert@christianacare.org. 2. Southern New Hampshire Weight Management, 17 Riverside Street, Suite 200, Nashua, NH, 03062, USA. 3. The New England Hernia Center, 817 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA. 4. Morristown Medical Center, 100 Madison Avenue, Morristown, NJ, 07960, USA. 5. Bariatric and Metabolic Specialists, 5100 West 110th Street, Suite 110, Overland Park, KS, 66211, USA. 6. El Centro Regional Medical Center, 1415 Ross Avenue, El Centro, CA, 92243, USA. 7. Capital Regional Medical Center and Capital Regional Surgical Associates, 2626 Care Drive, Suite 206, Tallahassee, FL, 32308, USA. 8. University of Oklahoma, 800 Stanton L Young Boulevard, Suite 9000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73117, USA. 9. Owen Drive Surgical Clinic, 513 Owen Drive, Fayetteville, NC, 28304, USA. 10. Precision Surgical Specialists of Lowell, 21 Village Square, Chelmsford, MA, 01824, USA. 11. Waterbury Hospital, 64 Robbins Street, Waterbury, CT, 06708, USA. 12. Beverly Hills Hernia Center, 450 North Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills, CA, 90210, USA. 13. Surgical Specialists, PA, 4013 North Ridge Road, Unit 210, Wichita, KS, 67205, USA. 14. Surgical Associates of Neenah, S.C., 100 Theda Clark Medical Plaza, Suite 400, Neenah, WI, 54956, USA. 15. Community Care Physicians, PC, 713 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY, 12110, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Community Practice (CP) surgeon is the first point of access to surgical care globally and performs the majority of procedures in the USA. CP surgeons include those of various practice models, locations and communities, education and training, and much more. It is a diverse group that drives quality, access to care, research, and innovation. The SAGES CP Committee was formed to better define the role and highlight the contribution of the CP surgeon, as well as advocate for the position of CP surgeons in our society. METHODS: In 2018, a survey was distributed to the SAGES membership asking members to self-identify as either a Community Surgeon or Academic Surgeon. RESULTS: The majority (71%) of SAGES members surveyed self-identified as "Community Surgeons." This was in stark contrast to the distribution of Community versus Academic Surgeons in SAGES leadership (25% versus 75%, respectively). CONCLUSION: By better defining the characteristics and role of the CP, SAGES will be better informed on how to effectively engage with this large group within the society and increase its representation within the leadership. The CP Committee met on a biannual basis over a period of two years focusing on assessing their role in the SAGES organization. The committee members created the following initial goals: (1) define in a broad sense the characteristics of a CP Surgeon, (2) discuss and characterize the value of the CP surgeons, (3) highlight past and future areas of contributions of the group, and (4) delineate ways to engage and represent this subgroup. This manuscript is a culmination of the work of this committee while also serving as a way to support the initiatives and direction of SAGES leadership.
BACKGROUND: The Community Practice (CP) surgeon is the first point of access to surgical care globally and performs the majority of procedures in the USA. CP surgeons include those of various practice models, locations and communities, education and training, and much more. It is a diverse group that drives quality, access to care, research, and innovation. The SAGES CP Committee was formed to better define the role and highlight the contribution of the CP surgeon, as well as advocate for the position of CP surgeons in our society. METHODS: In 2018, a survey was distributed to the SAGES membership asking members to self-identify as either a Community Surgeon or Academic Surgeon. RESULTS: The majority (71%) of SAGES members surveyed self-identified as "Community Surgeons." This was in stark contrast to the distribution of Community versus Academic Surgeons in SAGES leadership (25% versus 75%, respectively). CONCLUSION: By better defining the characteristics and role of the CP, SAGES will be better informed on how to effectively engage with this large group within the society and increase its representation within the leadership. The CP Committee met on a biannual basis over a period of two years focusing on assessing their role in the SAGES organization. The committee members created the following initial goals: (1) define in a broad sense the characteristics of a CP Surgeon, (2) discuss and characterize the value of the CP surgeons, (3) highlight past and future areas of contributions of the group, and (4) delineate ways to engage and represent this subgroup. This manuscript is a culmination of the work of this committee while also serving as a way to support the initiatives and direction of SAGES leadership.
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