Professional Development for Early-Career Plastic Surgeons: A Snapshot of Opportunities for Involvement in Societies...

Professional development is relevant to physicians at all stages of one's career, including early in practice. Specialty society membership offers opportunities for personal and professional growth and collaboration in many realms, including clinical practice, education, research and leadership. For early-career plastic surgeons, engagement in professional societies can facilitate career development as young surgeons navigate decision making and challenges at the start of their practices. The purpose of this article is to provide information regarding opportunities for early-career involvement and growth in professional societies related to plastic surgery.

We sought to collate a single resource for early-career plastic surgeons as they hone their "brand" and seek additional engagement with their field. After web-based searches and seeking expert opinion from a variety of plastic surgeons, we generated a list of professional organizations and relevant opportunities.

For each professional organization, we created tables with programs and corresponding descriptions in the categories of leadership development, mentorship, research, and financial awards and scholarships. We identified dozens of opportunities for early-career plastic surgeons, from leadership committees to advocacy groups to grant funding.

Regardless of practice type, given the many advantages of pursuing opportunities within and supported by professional societies, we advocate for engagement of early-career plastic surgeons in these organizations.