Dr. Timothy Donahue, 2023-2024 SUS President, reflected on his term and outlined the theme of his talk, “Empowering Leaders Better Together,” which embodies the society’s new vision. He emphasized the critical challenge facing academic surgeons: balancing the academic mission—encompassing research, education, and service—with the corporatization of healthcare. This shift centralizes care, prioritizes efficiency, and pressures physicians, potentially threatening academic values and increasing care disparities.
Dr. Donahue acknowledged the contributions of past SUS Presidents on issues such as burnout, equity, and wellness, linking these to the impact of healthcare corporatization. He advocated for mentorship, teamwork, and broadening the definition of success in academic surgery.
Addressing financial challenges, Dr. Donahue highlighted the increasing competition for healthcare funds, the rise in the number of healthcare administrators, and the stagnation of NIH funding for surgery departments. He discussed the detrimental effects of corporatization on academic surgery, including increased clinical demands and reduced time for research and education.
Proposing solutions, Dr. Donahue stressed the importance of defining success beyond publication counts, supporting diverse research, forming transdisciplinary teams, leveraging surgeon-scientist roles, partnering with health systems, engaging with funding sources, and embracing innovations such as artificial intelligence. Dr. Donahue emphasized the importance of proactive leadership in preserving the academic mission amidst healthcare corporatization, concluding with a call for unity and innovation in upholding academic surgery values.
