Career Advancement for Surgeon- Educators: Findings from a Modified Delphi Process

OBJECTIVES: Reward and recognition of surgical educa-tion as an academic activity remains a highly variable process between institutions. The goal of this study is to provide expert consensus definition of an academic sur-gical educator, with focus on criteria for academic promotion. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Following IRB approval, a Web-based modified Delphi process was used to gener-ate prioritized academic promotion criteria for surgical educators. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants were recruited nationally from a pool of senior academic sur-geons who are members of the Society of University Sur-geons and the Society of Surgical Chairs. RESULTS: Following a three-round modified Delphi pro-cess, the top domains of educational activity for promo-tion to associate professor and professor were scholarship, teaching, and administration; mentorship was also a priority category for promotion to professor. The top three activities described for promotion to Asso-ciate Professor were active participation in conferences/ departmental educational activities for medical students and residents; educational portfolio demonstrating com-mitment to activities as an educator; and clinical teach-ing excellence at their home institution. The three activities most highly scored items for promotion to Pro-fessor were mentorship of junior surgical educators; active participation in conferences/ departmental educational activities for medical students and residents; and a record of teaching excellence at the medical stu-dent and resident levels. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a progres-sion from teacher to scholar to leader across a surgical educator's career, with each level incorporating and building upon the prior activities. Identification of cate-gories and criteria may meaningfully inform best practi-ces to be incorporated into the career development and promotion processes for surgeons on an educator aca-demic pathway. ( J Surg Ed 79:173-178. (c) 2021 Associa-tion of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)