Mark A. Mattos, MD

Protect the Specialty

The Presidential Address focused on what we as individuals, as a specialty and as a society could do to “Protect the Specialty.” I focused on how to protect our specialty by finding purpose in what we do, by creating opportunity and leading/leaning into excellence. I covered a wide range of topics which I believed were essential for the advancement and enhancement of our specialty. This included the essential need for developing the concept of ‘extreme ownership’ of our specialty to maintain its independence and protect ourselves, our patients and our practices from outside encroaching specialties. I emphasized the importance and value of service work and advocacy in the society as a pathway to strengthening the specialty. I highlighted the value of diversity and mentorship as mechanisms to increase and protect our most valuable asset, our trainees. I reminded everyone that measuring performance meant we as a specialty were committed to ensuring competence in our future generation of vascular surgeons. I spoke about the dangers of burnout, complacency, and time-restricted learning environments and the threat they pose to clinical and educational experiences, and finally, the responsibility we all have to strive to eliminate societal complacency, specialty neglect and educational negligence in our specialty and its training programs.

Location:
The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza
St. Louis, MO