Bridging the generational gap: Understanding older & younger surgeon perspectives

At the Becker's 21st Annual Meeting in Chicago on Oct.23, Arvind Movva, MD, CEO of the Heartland Clinic and a second-generation physician, discussed the differences in perception between surgeons just beginning to practice and surgeons with years of experience.

In the ambulatory surgery center business, physician recruitment is essential. "The quickest way to kill a surgery center is lack of volume," said Dr. Movva. "Everybody wants physicians, but they are a finite commodity." Misunderstanding between older and younger can be a stumbling block in recruitment and ASC operations.

How do the two sides see one another?

"A senior physician sees himself as someone who has worked hard all of this life," said Mr. Movva. "He has given up a lot of personal and family time." Older physicians may see the next generation of surgeons as those who have undergone less rigorous training and put family ahead of work, while expecting a high, steady salary.

On the other hand, younger surgeons feel that they have succeeded in a competitive field and can have both a successful career and balanced personal life. "They may feel that the cumbersome rules now in place have been designed because of the older generation," said Dr. Movva.

While these generalized conceptions may not be true, they are actively held in the medical field. Both generations can successfully work with one another if they step back from preconceived notions and understand the realities of medicine that both generations must face. Older physicians had much more opportunity to open successful, independent practice, and they have cultivated decades of experience running these practices. On the flip side, younger physicians are entering practice with much higher levels of debt and much less ability to shoulder risk.

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