Career Resources

On April 24, 2026, the STS Leadership Institute convened in Chicago for its second session in a five-part leadership development series. Held at the Fairmont Chicago, the one-day program brought together more than 40 participants, six task force surgeons, and five faculty members to explore team dynamics, personal growth, and leadership effectiveness. The event began with a welcome reception the evening prior, fostering early connections among attendees.

The Leading Others session focused on core leadership competencies, including leading diverse teams, managing conflict, evaluating performance, and cultivating a culture of wellness—skills essential for cardiothoracic surgeons navigating increasingly complex clinical and organizational environments.

Interactive Learning and Practical Leadership Strategies

The program opened with remarks from STS President Vinay Badhwar, MD, and course director Mara B. Antonoff, MD, who emphasized the importance of continuous leadership development. Early sessions, led by Dr. Antonoff and Ram Kumar Subramanyan, MD, PhD, examined how individual growth strengthens team leadership.

Attendees engaged in interactive case scenarios and small-group discussions, with a focus on evaluating early-career colleagues—an increasingly important skill as participants step into leadership roles. “Programs like this reinforce that leadership is a skill we have to continually refine,” said Leadership Institute participant Evan Alicuben, MD. “The combination of self-reflection and practical application made it relevant to how we lead our teams every day.”

Afternoon sessions continued with case-based discussions on conflict management, drawing on the “Five Dysfunctions of a Team” framework. Participants worked in table groups to analyze interpersonal dynamics and develop actionable strategies. “The case-based format and small-group discussions really brought the concepts to life,” said Leadership Institute participant Kyla Joubert, MD. “We were able to work through real scenarios and leave with strategies we can apply right away in our own institutions.” A session on fostering a culture of wellness, led by Melanie A. Edwards, MD, reinforced the role of leadership in supporting team well-being and resilience.

Throughout the day, the emphasis on case scenarios and small-group dialogue created an engaging environment for exchanging perspectives and applying concepts in practice.

Looking ahead, the STS Leadership Institute will continue its curriculum with additional sessions leading to a capstone at the 2027 STS Annual Meeting in San Diego, creating an ongoing development experience to help participants lead effectively in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

In today’s “2025 STS Compensation and Member Practice Survey Update” session, STS leaders discussed key findings from the 2025 survey, offering valuable insights into cardiothoracic surgeon compensation across specialties, career stages, and geographic regions.

This year’s survey—which remains the only tool capturing the full scope and nuances of cardiothoracic surgery practice—now delivers three years of trend data and insights and includes responses from more than 1,100 surgeons. It highlights key trends, including a 5% increase in compensation for cardiac surgeons, 7% for congenital surgeons, and 11% for hybrid surgeons compared with 2024. The survey also expands questions about non-financial considerations accepted in lieu of compensation and adds new items addressing transparency in compensation criteria and benchmarking data.

For the third year in a row, the survey—developed in partnership with Gallagher—examines new areas, including compensation for early-career physicians, employer ownership structures, and satisfaction with compensation. To protect individual privacy, Gallagher reports only aggregated data, ensuring strict confidentiality.