A framework for role allocation in education, research and leadership services in Canadian academic divisions of general surgery: a modified Delphi consensus

Morgann Reid; Alex Lee; Ken Leslie; Liane S Feldman; S Morad Hameed; Roy Kirkpatrick; Peter J Lovrics; P Hugh MacDonald; David Pace; John M Shaw; Carol J Swallow; Giuseppe Pagliarello; David L Bigam; Geoff Porter; Alex Mathieson; Nathalie McFadden; Réal Lapointe; Tony MacLean; Craig Kuziemsky; Fady Balaa

doi:10.1503/cjs.021120

A framework for role allocation in education, research and leadership services in Canadian academic divisions of general surgery: a modified Delphi consensus

Can J Surg. 2022 Feb 3;65(1):E73-E81. doi: 10.1503/cjs.021120. Print 2022 Jan-Feb.

Authors

Morgann Reid¹, Alex Lee¹, Ken Leslie¹, Liane S Feldman¹, S Morad Hameed¹, Roy Kirkpatrick¹, Peter J Lovrics¹, P Hugh MacDonald¹, David Pace¹, John M Shaw¹, Carol J Swallow¹, Giuseppe Pagliarello¹, David L Bigam¹, Geoff Porter¹, Alex Mathieson¹, Nathalie McFadden¹, Réal Lapointe¹, Tony MacLean¹, Craig Kuziemsky¹, Fady Balaa²

Affiliations

¹ From the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont. (Reid); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont. (Lee, Pagliarello, Balaa); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ont. (Leslie); the Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Feldman); the Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Hameed); the Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, and Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont. (Kirkpatrick); the Division of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. (Lovrics); the Department of Surgery, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (MacDonald); the Department of Surgery, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Nfld. (Pace, Mathieson); the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask. (Shaw); the Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Swallow); the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta. (Bigam, Porter); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Que. (McFadden); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Que. (Lapointe); the Department of Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta. (MacLean); and the Office of Research Services and School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alta. (Kuziemsky).
² From the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont. (Reid); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont. (Lee, Pagliarello, Balaa); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ont. (Leslie); the Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, Que. (Feldman); the Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Hameed); the Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Sudbury, and Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont. (Kirkpatrick); the Division of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. (Lovrics); the Department of Surgery, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (MacDonald); the Department of Surgery, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Nfld. (Pace, Mathieson); the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sask. (Shaw); the Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Swallow); the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta. (Bigam, Porter); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Que. (McFadden); the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Que. (Lapointe); the Department of Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta. (MacLean); and the Office of Research Services and School of Business, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alta. (Kuziemsky) fbalaa@toh.ca.

Abstract
in English, French

Background: Moving toward a funding standard similar to that for clinical services for roles essential to the functioning of education, research and leadership services within divisions of general surgery is necessary to strengthen divisional resilience. We aimed to identify roles and underlying tasks in these services central to sustainable functioning of Canadian academic divisions of general surgery.

Methods: Between June 2018 and October 2020, we used a 4-step modified Delphi method (online survey, face-to-face nominal group technique [n = 12], semistructured telephone interview [n = 8] and nominal group technique [n = 12]) to achieve national consensus from an expert panel of all 17 heads of academic divisions of general surgery in Canada on the roles and accompanying tasks essential to education, research and leadership services within an academic division of general surgery. We used 70% agreement to determine consensus.

Results: The expert panel agreed that a framework for role allocation in education, research and leadership services was relevant and necessary. Consensus was reached for 7 roles within the educational service, 3 roles within the research service and 5 roles within the leadership service.

Conclusion: Our framework represents a national consensus that defines role standards for education, research and leadership services in Canadian academic divisions of general surgery. The framework can help divisions build resiliency, and enable sustained and deliberate advances in these services.

Contexe:: Il est nécessaire d’opérer une transition vers un modèle de financement standard, similaire à celui qui est appliqué aux services cliniques, pour les rôles essentiels au fonctionnement des services d’éducation, de recherche et de leadership à l’intérieur des divisions de chirurgie générale afin de rendre ces dernières plus résilientes. Nous avons voulu identifier les rôles et les tâches afférentes à ces services indispensables au fonctionnement durable des divisions de chirurgie générale dans les facultés de médecine canadienne.

Méthodes:: Entre juin 2018 et octobre 2020, nous avons utilisé une méthode Delphi modifiée en 4 étapes (sondage en ligne, technique de groupe nominal en personne [n = 12], entrevue téléphonique semi-structurée [n = 8] technique de groupe nominal [n = 12]) pour obtenir le consensus national d’un comité d’experts formé des 17 chefs de division de chirurgie générale au Canada au sujet des rôles et diverses tâches afférentes aux services dévolus à l’enseignement, à la recherche et au leadership dans les divisions de chirurgie générale. Nous avons utilisé un seuil d’assentiment de 70 % pour déterminer le consensus.

Résultats:: Le comité d’experts a convenu qu’il était pertinent et nécessaire d’établir un cadre d’attribution des rôles en éducation, recherche et leadership. Un consensus a été atteint pour 7 rôles du segment éducation, 3 rôles du segment recherche et 5 rôles du segment leadership.

Conclusion:: Notre cadre représente un consensus national et définit les normes applicables aux rôles essentiels aux services en éducation, en recherche et en leadership dans les divisions de chirurgie générale au Canada. Ce cadre peut rendre les divisions plus résilientes, et favoriser leur développement de manière soutenue et délibérée.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Canada
Consensus
Delivery of Health Care*
Delphi Technique
Humans
Leadership*

Abstract in English, French

Publication types

MeSH terms

Abstract
in English, French