Incidence of attrition among early-career abdominal transplant surgeons.

Background: The prevalence of burnout and depression among abdominal transplant surgeons has been well described. However, the incidence of early-career transplant surgeons leaving the field is unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify the incidence of attrition among early-career abdominal transplant surgeons.

Methods: A custom database from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network with encrypted surgeon-specific identifiers was queried for transplant surgeons who entered the field between 2008 and 2019. Surgeons who experienced attrition, defined as not completing a subsequent transplant after a minimum of 5, were identified. Surgeon-specific case volumes, case mix, and recipient outcomes were modeled to describe their association with attrition.

Results: Between 2008 and 2018, 496 abdominal transplant surgeons entered the field and performed 76,465 transplant procedures. A total of 24.4% (n = 121) experienced attrition, with a median time to attrition of 2.75 years. Attrition surgeons completed fewer kidney (7 vs 21, P < .01), pancreas (0.52 vs 1.43, P < .01), and liver transplants (1 vs 4, P < .01) in their first year of practice. Attrition surgeons completed a smaller proportion of their transplant center's volume (9% vs 18%, P < .01) and were less likely to participate in pediatric transplants (26.5% vs 52.5%, P < .01) and living donor kidney transplants (64.5% vs 84.5%, P < .01). On multivariable analysis, performing fewer kidney (odds ratio: 0.98, 95% confidence interval: 0.98-0.99) and liver transplants (odds ratio: 0.98, 95% confidence interval: 0.97-0.98) by year 5 and completing a smaller proportion of their centers' volume (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.94-0.98) were associated with attrition. Furthermore, attrition surgeons had worse allograft and patient survival for liver transplant recipients (both log-rank P < .01).

Conclusion: This investigation was the first to quantify the high incidence of attrition experienced by early-career abdominal transplant surgeons and its association with surgeon-specific case volumes, case mix, and worse recipient outcomes. These findings suggested the abdominal transplant workforce is struggling to retain their fellowship-trained surgeons.