General thoracic surgery workforce: training, migration and practice profile in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
This study is aimed at drawing the profile of the Brazilian general thoracic surgeon. This experience has been fruitful in other areas, helping attract manpower and to better serve the interests of other Societies. This is the first survey of this kind in Brazil and in Latin America.


METHODS
An electronic invitation was sent to the members of the Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery to answer a web-based questionnaire and physicians potentially practising thoracic surgery, with 82 questions including demographic data, medical education, training in general and thoracic surgery, continued professional education, practice profile, research activities and certifications, participation in medical societies, income/compensation and career satisfaction. Quantitative and qualitative analyses are presented.


RESULTS
The estimated level of participation was 82% (468). The mean age of the active general thoracic surgeon is 43.2 (range 45.3±11.4) years. Women comprised 8% (37) of respondents, and 60% (277) of the participants had graduated from public medical schools. Four states nationwide trained 88% (391) of the thoracic surgeons. Only 32% (149) of the surgeons work exclusively with thoracic surgery. The public health system is the main provider of income for thoracic surgeons. Only 11 of 27 states have an adequate, although poorly distributed, number of thoracic surgeons.


CONCLUSIONS
Although Brazil has a reasonable number of general thoracic surgeons, inequalities in their distribution through the country arise as one of the most concerning problems of the speciality. The results of this study show that leadership actions and consistent government policies are required to improve work conditions and provide efficient workforce planning.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil tedde@usp.br.
Miguel Lia
ML
Tedde
School of Politics and Sociology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Oleno
O
Petrere
Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery (Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Torácica, SBCT), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Darcy Ribeiro
DR
Pinto Filho
Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery (Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Torácica, SBCT), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Sergio Tadeu L Fortunato
ST
Pereira
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Rosangela
R
Monteiro
Health Technology Assessment Center, Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ana Maria
AM
Sassaki
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Silvia Yukari
SY
Togoro
Health Technology Assessment Center, Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Evelinda
E
Trindade
Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery (Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Torácica, SBCT), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Roberto
R
Saad
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Fabio Biscegli
FB
Jatene
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013903:Thoracic Surgery / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce
Education; Health workforce; Manpower; Medical; Public policy; Thoracic surgery