title: Report of the 2010 society of thoracic surgeons congenital heart surgery practice and manpower survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Workforce on Congenital Heart Surgery undertook a second subspecialty Practice and Manpower Survey (2005, 2010) to obtain contemporary data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preliminary research suggested a potential target group of 273 congenital heart surgeons, including 258 at 125 US centers and 15 at 8 Canadian centers. The web-based survey was sent to these surgeons, plus all individuals listing pediatric cardiac surgery on CTSNet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred forty-six responders included 213 active congenital heart surgeons, 16 retired congenital heart surgeons, and 17 surgeons in training. Retirement age was 63.5±7.5 years. Two hundred thirteen active congenital heart surgeon responders represent 78% of the original estimate. Their responses generated the following data: The mean age was 49.2±8.5 (range, 35 to 75 years). American medical school graduates included 159 of 201 respondents (79%). Years of postgraduate training was 9.7±1.7. One hundred ninety-seven (92%) respondents were certified in thoracic surgery by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS). Twenty-eight of 200 (14%) received their congenital heart surgery training outside the United States or Canada. One hundred forty-three of 190 respondents (75%) perform exclusively congenital heart operations; 31 (16%) perform exclusively pediatric heart operations. Of 186 respondents, 54 (29%) perform fewer than 100 major congenital heart operations per year, 78 (42%) perform 100 to 199 procedures, and 54 (29%) perform 200 procedures or more. Active congenital heart surgeons have been in their current positions for 9.3±8.6 years. Eight respondents are in their first year of practice. For 203 respondents, mean anticipated years to retirement is 16.1±7.6. Twenty-eight anticipate retirement within 5 years; 31 in 6 to 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data should help facilitate rational plans to meet workforce needs for an expanding patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. marshall.jacobs@comcast.net
authors.forename: Marshall L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mavroudis
authors.forename: David L S
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Turek
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tchervenkov
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D002568:Certification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012179:Retirement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013038:Specialization; D013903:Thoracic Surgery / Q000193:education; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce