Retention of Surgery Specialists in Academia: A Critical Agenda

Abstract

Recruitment and retention of specialists to academia appears to be a growing problem in university teaching hospitals. Members of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) believe that the movement of surgery specialists to practice may have an impact on the training of veterinary students and surgery residents. To address these concerns, 1,071 ACVS diplomates and 60 department heads and hospital directors from all veterinary schools in North America were surveyed to determine whether a problem exists, the extent of the problem, and potential reasons for migration of specialists to practice. Responses were obtained from 620 ACVS diplomates (58 per cent) and 38 department heads and hospital directors (63%) from 28 different universities. The responses confirmed a net movement of surgery specialists from academia to practice. Eighty seven percent of department heads and hospital directors believed there was a shortage of small animal surgery specialists in academia; this information was supported by the fact that 47% responded that they had open positions and 68% had difficulty filling positions in the last five years. The demand was slightly less for large animal surgery specialists, and 42 per cent of respondents indicated that they had open positions. Financial considerations were the most common reason for surgery specialists to move from academia to private practice. Seventy-six percent of responding ACVS diplomates in private practice had a total compensation package valued at greater than $125,000 per year, whereas 77.8% of diplomates in academia had total compensation valued at $125,000 or less. Most universities offer starting salaries (not including benefits) for recently certified surgery specialists ranging from $70,000 to $90,000. Reasons for moving from academia to practice besides financial considerations included undesirable location of university hospitals; lack of interest in research; and a belief that university administration was not supportive of surgery specialists. Many academic surgery specialists were frustrated by the requirement for productivity in research, teaching, and service for promotion in tenure-track positions.

Perceptions of training, self-efficacy, and mentoring among veterinary clinical specialty trainees

“…

C hallenges in the recruitment of veterinarians to academic positions and retention in those positions have been the subject of recent studies 1,2 and are considered a credible threat to the future of veterinary education. [3][4][5][6] This problem of recruitment and retention remains an important issue in human medicine as well. 7,8 Numerous factors may be responsible.

…”

Workforce needs for clinical specialists at colleges and schools of veterinary medicine in North America

“…4,5 The issues cited by dentists mirror those identified in a recent survey of veterinary surgeons. 2 The job market for veterinary specialists represents the interaction of a number of forces, including the number of current diplomates in a given specialty, the production rate of new diplomates, the demand for diplomates' services, and the rates of retirement from the specialty and the profession. The number of current diplomates in a specialty is the primary determinant of the current and future supply.…”

“…Solutions to the problems of recruiting and retaining specialists in academia will be hard to find. 2 In an attempt to further define the scope of the problem, the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Task Force commissioned a survey of the colleges and schools of veterinary medicine in North America to determine workforce needs for clinical specialists.…”

Academic and private practice partnerships in veterinary radiology residency training

“…Veterinary radiology careers are not unique to the shifting trend toward private practice. Other veterinary specialties and our physician radiologist counterparts have long discussed the grim outlooks and potential solutions for academic recruitment and retention. Realizing that problems are best solved together, the American College of Radiology (ACR) established the Committee on Academic and Private Practice Alliance .…”