Surgeon Leadership Through Distinct Lenses: Presidential Panel From the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Southern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons

Abstract

This manuscript is a transcript of the presidential panel that took place took place during the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Southern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. The surgeon’s status as a leader is often assumed, and surgeons are often found in leadership positions outside the operating room. Yet, throughout medical and surgical education, formal leadership and management curricula are lacking. In this presidential panel, the path to leadership for surgeons was discussed by experts from their distinct lenses—academic medicine, surgical education, health care administration, and private practice. Surgeon leaders discussed good leadership traits and conflict management, and answered audience questions.