The Next Generation of Otolaryngology Needs Physician Leadership

Eugene G. Brown, MD, RPh
AAO-HNS/F PresidentI recently had the honor of serving as an examiner for the new oral board examination in Dallas, Texas. The American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS) has completely transformed this assessment under the leadership of CEO Brian Nussenbaum, MD, MHCM; President Ronald B. Kuppersmith, MD; Oral Examination Chair Timothy L. Smith, MD, MPH, and their Board of Directors. The examination now focuses on practical, case-based evaluation where candidates present their own patient cases and demonstrate their clinical decision-making skills. This innovative approach was a resounding success, and I want to thank and congratulate many of our Academy members who contributed their service and expertise in this important endeavor.

During this process, I found myself pausing to consider the profound significance of what we were doing—certifying the next generation of otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons. This reflection hit particularly close to home as we have welcomed six new physicians into our practice in South Carolina over the past year. I have had a front-row seat to witness the beginning of their careers, experiencing vicariously the same emotions I felt at the start of my own journey some years ago. Marriages, births, new homes, cross-country moves, and the long-awaited establishment of practice—the stress and joy, the excitement and fear of the unknown—are beautiful moments marked with meaningful evolution in one’s life.

As I pondered their future, I also found myself reviewing my own career. We have witnessed tremendous change in medicine over the past 25 years, and we are certain to see even more dramatic transformation in the next quarter century. The substantial financial investment in healthcare has attracted businessmen, politicians, investors, and other power brokers whose intentions are not always aligned with achieving the best outcomes for the patients we treat and communities we serve.

Against this backdrop, physicians have become increasingly marginalized. I would argue that we have been too passive along the way. We desperately need physician leaders, those individuals willing to step up, align with, and support their colleagues. We cannot afford to be commoditized and manipulated. Without us and our expertise, our patients are the ones who ultimately suffer. It has become clear to me that what this next generation of otolaryngologists needs most is leadership and leaders.

For my generation, we have a vital role, and this means we bear the essential responsibility of preparing the next generation to lead. Although this may seem like an abstract concept that you may have never considered, I believe it deserves our thoughtful attention.

Here are some concrete ways we can make a difference:

1. Talk about leadership openly and regularly with your early-career colleagues.
2. Encourage young physicians to attend professional meetings, volunteer for committees, and run for office.
3. Cover their call so they can attend the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO
4. Bring a junior partner to the Annual Meeting, or better yet, to Capitol Hill—to be the voice of our specialty and take our patient stories to our legislators (our Academy staff can help coordinate such visits).
5. Provide encouragement and mentorship. Sometimes potential leaders just need the gentle nudge of a mentor. Many people have the potential to be leaders and the desire to lead, but they face an instinctive mental barrier that whispers, "I am not a leader. I don't have what it takes, and I don't know how to lead." Although this becomes a significant psychological obstacle, it is truly a small hurdle that often only requires a gentle encouragement to overcome. With mentors and fellow leaders surrounding them, these individuals can discover their own leadership potential.

This leadership development is crucial for several compelling reasons. Let us start by keeping our patients at the center of our mission. Our patients need physician leadership to ensure their medications remain affordable and they have access to cutting-edge treatments. Our leadership encourages the development and research that cures disease, extends lives, and most importantly, improves quality of life. Physicians are the natural advocates who stand up to government interference and fight for the removal of roadblocks to patient care. With all the new power brokers entering our field, our patients are more dependent than ever on strong physician leadership.

However, patients are not the only stakeholders who depend on physician leadership. Physicians themselves also need leadership and representation. The corporatization of healthcare and commoditization of our services jeopardize our professional future. Increasing administrative burdens and cumbersome, noncommunicative electronic health records are fueling burnout at an unsustainable rate within our already threatened workforce. Physicians must have a strong voice and be involved at every level of the healthcare paradigm to ensure our specialty’s success and, ultimately, our patients' wellbeing.

Your Academy serves as the central hub for fostering and honing these essential leadership skills. Our big tent flies high, and we always rise to meet every challenge that comes our way.

As you continue to welcome your new associates and partners this fall, and as you toast their new marriages, children, and board certifications, remember what they may need most to make their careers impactful and successful. Take action yourself to encourage and support a new generation of physician leaders, a group we are honored to nurture and support as they learn to use their voices for the betterment of patients and the house of medicine as a whole.

The future of our specialty, and indeed the future of medicine itself, depends on the leaders we cultivate today. Let us ensure that this next generation is prepared not just to practice excellent medicine, but to lead with the courage and conviction our profession and our patients deserve. 

Resources

AAO-HNS/F Committees
AAO-HNS State Trackers
AAO-HNS Project 535
Other ways to Get Involved