Early-career and Fellow Gynecologic Oncologists Perceive Underpreparedness for the Business of Medicine: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology Survey Study
Jhalak Dholakia, MD
The Health Policy and Socioeconomic Committee’s Payment Reform and Quality Care Subcommittee recently published, “Early-career and Fellow Gynecologic Oncologists Perceive Under preparedness for the Business of Medicine: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology Survey Study,” examining the impact of payment, reimbursement, and academic productivity in career decision-making for early-career (EC) attendings in gynecologic oncology. The study appears in the October issue of Gynecologic Oncology Reports.
The research was led by Jhalak Dholakia, MD, of ECU Health, who was inspired by personal experiences to explore the subject. “I was lucky to have a small business background prior to entering medicine, but I still felt very confused looking at the business of medicine,” she reflects. “Talking with my fellowship peers, many echoed that concepts of compensation and Relative Value Units (RVUs) were like a black box with no approachable entry point.” This realization led Dr. Dholakia and SGO’s Payment Reform and Quality Card subcommittee members to to delve deeper into how well fellows and early-career oncologists understand the business aspect of their profession.
Among the most notable findings of the study was that fellows and early-career gynecologic oncologists are acutely aware of their lack of understanding in areas such as payment structures and reimbursement. “To me, this is a great opportunity for SGO to develop programming that directly addresses the knowledge gap,” Dr. Dholakia suggests. Further, nearly 1 in 5 early-career gynecologic oncologists reported not fully understanding their compensation plan. This figure surprised Dr. Dholakia, who notes, “We are a group of highly driven physicians—we lead trials, perform complex surgeries, and take care of very sick patients. We are absolutely capable of understanding business concepts, yet many of us already in practice have a blind spot that we know relates to our financial health, career planning, professional satisfaction, and burnout.”
To address these challenges, Dr. Dholakia suggests introducing career planning techniques early and having more formal education on business topics. Educational modules reviewing basic concepts and strong mentorship could prove to be valuable for fostering leadership and practical support during career transitions from fellowship to attending roles. “We have great role models in our field with so much to teach us,” Dr. Dholakia says. “Mentorship is crucial to medical institutions, and professional societies like SGO play a pivotal role in closing these knowledge gaps.” Greater involvement from gynecologic oncologists and a collaborative approach could help societies develop more specialized resources for those at highest risk.
Looking ahead, Dr. Dholakia sees room for further research, particularly qualitative studies that could provide deeper insights into the practical concerns of gynecologic oncologists. For now, this study provides a pivotal starting point for addressing business-related knowledge gaps in gynecologic oncology with significant implications for future career satisfaction, gender equity, and effective professional development.