Reimagining Recruitment and Retention in Academic Plastic Surgery

Recruitment and retention of academic surgeons is challenging. Decreased academic support and high clinical loads cause recruits to leave within 2 years. Here, we explore creative ways to manage top talent in academic practices.

A scoping review of scholarly databases and business literature was performed, and the cumulative experience of the authors was incorporated.

New academic recruits feel the gap between their expectations and their actual experience. Despite known advantages of academics over private practice, including resident coverage, salary support, malpractice coverage, and professional advancement opportunities, the dwindling finances in academics have forced departments to use clinical revenues to fund their academic missions. Compensation plans are now more heavily linked to clinical productivity thresholds, often at the cost of academic goals. Additionally, institutions offer limited support for practice-building, and academic promotion criteria have not adapted to the clinical demands. Finally, these pressures have transformed academic practices into becoming fiercely competitive and noncollaborative. To prevent an exodus of new recruits from academic practices, retention strategies need to change. Individual goals must be respected and aligned with the success of all 3 groups: individual, the team, and the organization. Strong practice-building tools need to be developed for new recruits to create a collaborative culture. Fair compensation must include academic metrics, and a new, creative rewards plan that improves faculty experience is vital.

Recruitment and retention are critical elements of academic plastic surgery, and redesigning strategies to keep and grow high-value faculty will ensure the growth and advancement of the field.