A landmark study just tracked 224,629 surgeons over a decade, and the findings are a wake-up call for every surgery center administrator in the country. Nearly 10% of surgeons left clinical practice within an eight-year period — and in some specialties, the numbers are far worse. Oral and maxillofacial surgery lost 1 in 4 surgeons within just five years. OB/GYN wasn't far behind.

In this episode, we break down the data, reveal which specialties face the highest attrition risk, and explain why mid-career surgeons - those with 5 to 9 years of practice - are the most vulnerable group. We also cover the American College of Surgeons' newly released national workplace standards framework - the first of its kind in the organization's 113-year history - and what its six key domains mean for how you structure schedules, allocate OR time, and support the surgeons affiliated with your center.

Whether you're managing a single-specialty ASC or a multi-specialty center, this episode gives you the data and the framework to have more informed conversations with your medical staff, your board, and your recruitment partners - before a staffing gap becomes a crisis.

In this episode:

The attrition rates by surgical subspecialty you need to know
Why the mid-career danger zone matters for your retention strategy
What the ACS workplace standards framework actually requires
Five practical steps ASC administrators can take right now

SHOW NOTES / SOURCES

ACS Press Release — Nearly 10% of Surgeons Are Leaving the Profession Within 8 Years (May 20, 2026) https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/nearly-10-percent-of-surgeons-are-leaving-the-profession-within-8-years/
ACS Press Release — American College of Surgeons Releases First-Ever Workplace Standards Framework (March 4, 2026) https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/american-college-of-surgeons-releases-first-ever-workplace-standards-framework/
Primary Research — Elemosho A, et al. A National Analysis of Trends and Factors Associated with Surgeon Attrition in the United States. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2026. DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001905 https://journals.lww.com/journalacs/abstract/9900/national_analysis_of_trends_and_factors_associated.1680.aspx