The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has released the first national framework outlining measurable workplace standards for US surgeons.
The aim is to improve the surgeon’s wellbeing, patient safety, and workforce sustainability.
It addresses calls for schedules, fatigue mitigation, patient census limits, and other factors to support a more sustainable surgical workforce.
Surgery is widely considered one of the most demanding medical specialties, with long hours, unpredictable schedules, and significant administrative responsibilities contributing to burnout and workforce attrition. Until now, no formal parameters have been defined for sustainable clinical practice for surgeons.
The framework, ‘Developing Specialty-Specific Workplace Standards for Surgeons’, provides measurable standards that can be customised by surgical specialty.
It is published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and is designed to be incorporated into departmental policies, employment contracts, and professional society guidance.
Lead author Douglas E Wood, ACS Board of Regents Vice-Chair, and The Henry N. Harkins Professor and Chair in the Department of Surgery at the University of Washington, said: ‘Our goal was to create guidance that would align surgeon well-being with patient safety and system efficiency, while promoting career longevity and workforce stability within the surgical profession.
‘Surgeons love their jobs. We are dedicated to patient care, and we want to help ensure that we create a workplace environment that allows us to continue providing excellent care, while also attracting a new generation of the best and brightest into the profession.’
The recommendations address:
• Call schedule and compensation
• Access to the OR, clinic, and resources
• Clinical support and team composition
• Inpatient census limits
• Fatigue mitigation and wellness support
• Compliance and administrative burden.
Adaptable across surgical disciplines, the framework draws upon existing literature, benchmarks from other specialties, and input from practising surgeons and health system leaders.
Patricia L Turner, executive director and CEO of the ACS, and co-author of the JACS article, said: ‘The long-term sustainability of the surgical workforce requires a cultural and operational shift from informal expectations to transparent standards that support the critical work of surgeons across all specialties. Clear workplace standards will support patient safety, improve retention, and create accountability around workload, resources, and compensation.’
