The contribution of early-career surgeons to the Society for Vascular Surgery Annual Meeting

Objective

The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) recently established the Young Surgeons Section (YSS), open to early career vascular surgeons in their first 10 years of practice and dedicated to providing resources and advocacy to foster early career development, and to encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion within the society. Research was identified as a priority area of focus by members of this group of surgeons. This study aims to evaluate the current contribution of early career surgeons to research presented at the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM).

Methods

Abstracts presented at plenary sessions of the 2021 and 2022 SVS VAM were reviewed. Senior authors for each abstract were identified and categorized as ‘early career’ (EC, first 10 years of practice) or ‘later career’ (LC) and categorized by gender. Information from abstracts including subject matter and subsequent conversion to manuscript publication was collected. Finally, likelihood of abstract presentation on early meeting days compared with the final meeting day was evaluated.

Results

A total of 103 abstracts were presented at plenary sessions of VAM during the two-year study period. Thirty abstracts had EC senior authors (29.1%). The most common topics for EC abstracts were aorta and peripheral artery disease (PAD), whereas the most common for LC abstracts were aorta and cerebrovascular disease, followed by PAD. Sixty abstracts were converted to manuscript publication (58.3%; n = 20 EC, n = 40 LC). The conversion rate for EC authors was higher than that of LC authors (66% EC vs 55% LC). Sixteen LC senior authors had multiple abstracts each that accounted for 41.7% of all plenary abstracts presented, of which 55.8% were converted to publication. Five EC authors had multiple abstracts that contributed 9.7% of the overall abstracts, with a 70% publication rate. Despite a higher rate of publication, manuscripts by EC senior authors were more likely to be presented on the final conference day (odds ratio, 3.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-7.45). The proportion of EC abstracts written by women senior authors was 50% as compared with only 8.2% of LC abstracts (P < .0001).

Conclusions

EC surgeon scientists contribute significantly to research presented at VAM with work that is similar in subject matter and publication success in peer-reviewed journals to that of LC senior authors. EC senior authors represent greater membership diversity. EC surgeon-scientists may benefit from recognition by broader audiences at subsequent meetings. SVS efforts to establish a YSS Research Working Group is a productive first step in providing resources and recognition for EC surgeons.