Does an additional advanced degree influence career trajectory as a shoulder and elbow surgeon?

Background: As orthopedic surgery becomes increasingly competitive, orthopedic surgeons are now pursuing advanced degrees more frequently to enhance their resumes or gain additional expertise. The specific impact of this additional training and education on a surgeon's career trajectory is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of an advanced degree on the academic career of orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeons.

Methods: Orthopedic shoulder and elbow fellowship-trained surgeons were identified using the directory listed on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons website. Demographics, education, and current professional roles were obtained. Research productivity was obtained using SCOPUS and Google Scholar. Advanced degrees were defined as those additional to the primary medical degree (Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Outcome measures collected included timing of advanced degree obtainment, current academic and leadership roles, leadership on journal editorial boards, and research productivity. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test to determine the association of advanced degrees on outcome measures.

Results: In total, 893 orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeons were identified, of whom 129 had advanced degrees. Most common advanced degrees included Master of Science (43%), Master of Business Administration (23%), and Doctor of Philosophy (13%). The most common period of degree obtainment was before medical school (35%) with the least common times being after medical school/before residency (0.9%) and between residency and fellowship training (0.9%). Surgeons who held advanced degrees demonstrated greater research productivity, with a higher h-index (P < .001), a greater number of citations (P < .001), and more publications (P < .001). Of the 523 shoulder and elbow surgeons who worked at an academic institution, those holding advanced degrees were more likely to serve as orthopedic department chair (P < .001) and serve an editorial board position (<0.001).

Conclusion: This study found that having an advanced degree as an orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeon was linked to higher research impact and productivity and an increased likelihood of becoming a department chair and holding an editorial position. These significant findings can help future trainees and department leadership in understanding the importance and impact of additional training on career trajectories for academic faculty.