The responsibilities and contributions of professional educators in surgery departments

Background The purpose of the study is to describe the academic preparation, scope of duties, and scholarly activity of professional educators in surgery departments. Methods Educators with doctoral degrees employed as full-time faculty in surgery departments were surveyed to determine terms of employment, academic preparation, scope of duties, and job satisfaction. Results Twelve of 13 educators responded and participated in the study. Educators spent, on average, 22% of their time on research activities, 33% on administrative responsibilities, 13% on teaching, 13% counseling students and residents, and 7% writing grants. They spent approximately 34% of their time with surgical faculty, 19% with residents/fellows, and 14% with medical students. Educators' contributions to surgery departments included improvements in assessment and evaluation, educational conferences, recruitment, and research productivity. Conclusions Professional educators provide support needed to meet the growing demands and requirements of surgical education. Study findings may inform those interested in recruiting a professional educator to their faculty.