Control versus Choice in Deciding Career Pathway in Plastic Surgery: The Perfect Ratio

The decisions and components of a career in medicine have changed. Historically, a career selection was often a decision between joining an institution or academic center versus the fiscal risks associated with private practice. This created a relatively simple risk versus reward equation: those in private practice made more money if it went well. The medical landscape has changed immensely, and priorities and remuneration have morphed, including concerns about promoting and sustaining well-being. The authors performed a systematic review of scholarly databases to identify relevant resources to the topic of study. Additionally, the authors relied on their own cumulative experience in the field, including the work of Dr. Wayne Sotile of the Sotile Center for Physician Resilience. The first installment of this article proposes a new model in opposition to the current standard of "risk versus reward" where the tradeoff is instead "control versus choice," where autonomy is the new risk. The five components that make up the majority of the ingredients in a plastic surgery career are clinical practice model, administrative duty, corporate support, academic involvement, and per diem or retainers. Much of finding or developing a practice model that suits the individual is figuring out an acceptable ratio of these ingredients. Inherent to this process is how much authority one has versus instituted control of any form, from hospital to university to insurance company.