Academic General Surgery Faculty Positions

[Whisk]

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How realistic nowadays is it to get a job as a general surgeon in an academic center? Are these places hiring sub-specialists exclusively?

Deep down I want to practice general surgery and be an active teacher of residents and medical students. I don't necessarily want/have to work at Johns Hopkins or a similarly large academic center, I think I would be quite happy even at more community based programs that have residents. I have tried looking at a few MD job posting websites, and sure, there are a ton of general surgery job offers, but I don't think I've found one that had associated teaching opportunities. Is it that these jobs are just not offered out to recruiters, or that they don't exist?

If I had to sub-specialize in order to pursue a more academic career, I will, but I think I enjoy general surgery the most. I still have a few years of residency left myself, I'm just trying to get an idea of the job market out there.

 

[Celiac Plexus]

How realistic nowadays is it to get a job as a general surgeon in an academic center? Are these places hiring sub-specialists exclusively?

Deep down I want to practice general surgery and be an active teacher of residents and medical students. I don't necessarily want/have to work at Johns Hopkins or a similarly large academic center, I think I would be quite happy even at more community based programs that have residents. I have tried looking at a few MD job posting websites, and sure, there are a ton of general surgery job offers, but I don't think I've found one that had associated teaching opportunities. Is it that these jobs are just not offered out to recruiters, or that they don't exist?

If I had to sub-specialize in order to pursue a more academic career, I will, but I think I enjoy general surgery the most. I still have a few years of residency left myself, I'm just trying to get an idea of the job market out there.

FYI - Most good academic jobs are word-of-mouth kind of things. Your chairman knows someone who knows someone to get you that first job out of training.

I recommend doing a fellowship if you are headed in the academic direction. Being a general surgeon at an academic center with no fellowship training typically means that you will get the junk cases that no one else wants, the no-pay ER patients, trauma call, etc. You will also have the lowest pay compared to other surgeons. Academic center general surgery is the dumping ground of every other surgeon. Spend the extra year or two becoming fellowship-trained to avoid academic serfdom.

 

[ACSurgeon]

FYI - Most good academic jobs are word-of-mouth kind of things. Your chairman knows someone who knows someone to get you that first job out of training.

I recommend doing a fellowship if you are headed in the academic direction. Being a general surgeon at an academic center with no fellowship training typically means that you will get the junk cases that no one else wants, the no-pay ER patients, trauma call, etc. You will also have the lowest pay compared to other surgeons. Academic center general surgery is the dumping ground of every other surgeon. Spend the extra year or two becoming fellowship-trained to avoid academic serfdom.

Alternatively, work at a busy community resodency program that teaches residents and students.

Obviously, if you love general surgery, you'll want to do a fellowship that still does a lot of general surgery type work (e.g. MIS, trauma, CRS).