title: What Made Them Successful: An Introspective Survey of AAPS Members.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to assess which personal characteristics and external factors are important contributors to eventual success.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors distributed a survey to all members of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons and asked responders to rate the importance of 10 preselected qualities in contributing to their personal success. Survey outcomes were analyzed across different demographic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 580 American Association of Plastic Surgeons members who were surveyed, 295 returned completed surveys. Overall analysis indicates that hard work, compassion, and manual dexterity are the 3 most important attributes. Many significant differences are observed across demographic groups, indicating potential biases among the survey responders. Notably, we find that male surgeons attribute mentorship to success much more so than female surgeons (Column Trend Exact [CTE], P = 0.021), whereas female surgeons are more likely to attribute their success to hard work (CTE, P = 0.023). Similarly, those who have been program directors credit their success to mentoring more so than nonprogram directors (CTE, P < 0.00001). The authors also found that senior surgeons, as measured by years in practice, place greater emphasis on mentoring and career opportunities than younger surgeons (Mantel-Haenszel Trend, P = 0.003 and 0.0009, respectively). It is also interesting to note that individual talent qualities tend to be favored by more senior surgeons and those with more distant ties to academia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors believe that recognizing the relative importance of such factors, and their associated biases, is essential for the process of selecting and developing future successful plastic surgeons.
authors: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Biostatistical Services, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
authors: Pamela A
authors: PA
authors: Rudnicki
authors: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Biostatistical Services, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
authors: Fan
authors: F
authors: Liang
authors: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Biostatistical Services, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
authors: Noah H
authors: NH
authors: Prince
authors: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Biostatistical Services, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
authors: Stuart
authors: S
authors: Lipsitz
authors: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Biostatistical Services, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: May
authors: Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Biostatistical Services, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass.; Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
authors: Lifei
authors: L
authors: Guo