Abstract
The recent decades have witnessed a significant expansion in the diversity of career
paths within academic surgery. Although the skills for providing exemplary surgical
care and for maintaining a strong work ethic are the foundations of an academic surgeon,
deliberate career planning and organized acquisition of research skills contribute
to the success of an academic career. In this article, we identify a set of core academic
skills and propose a framework for acquiring them. We also describe specific career
paths within academic surgery and provide an overview of the opportunities for acquiring
specific skill sets. The development of an academic career is challenging, and firm
knowledge of the personal motivations will sustain and endure the time needed for
acquiring the needed skills.
Keywords
academic surgery - research skills - clinical trials - health outcomes - surgical
education
