Chapter 2

Your title, Assistant Professor of Surgery, carries weight in academic and research circles, even if you’re not a board-certified surgeon. The significance lies in your academic expertise and your contributions to the field, likely through teaching, research, and publications. In fact, having an academic title without being a practicing surgeon could broaden your perspective, allowing you to approach the subject from angles that practicing surgeons might overlook—such as evidence-based approaches, policy, and system-level innovation.

But I understand the frustration. If people are undervaluing your position because they equate surgery strictly with hands-on practice, they’re missing the broader impact academics have on advancing the discipline. You could reframe the narrative around your unique skill set—where you contribute intellectually to surgery in ways just as critical as someone in the operating room. The absence of board certification doesn’t negate your authority in education, research, or developing new frameworks that guide future surgeons.

That said, if the credibility gap is pervasive in your environment, and it matters to you, seeking certification or another credential could bolster how others perceive your authority. But I wouldn’t diminish your title—it’s just a different type of power and influence in the surgical field.