geons wish they would have done something differently in the past. The most common (762 of 1233 [61.8%]) wish was to have achieved a healthier work-life balance, even if that required joining a different practice environment, pursuing a different surgical specialty, or choosing a nonmedical career.These findings seem to contradict the generally held perception that older generations of surgeons placed less emphasis on their personal and family life than the newer surgeons. 4-6 A possible explanation for this contradiction could be that, despite their desire for a healthier work-life balance, earlier generations of surgeons practiced in an era when workplace requirements, professional regulations, and cultural norms were not conducive to a constructive debate on work-life balance. With their more experienced life and work perspective, retired surgeons have a great potential for mentoring younger surgeons 3 to achieve a rewarding career and avoid future regrets.
Conclusions |By learning what retired surgeons would advise their younger selves, this survey brings awareness to potentially modifiable factors that could make the life and career of a surgeon healthier, more fulfilling, and without regrets.