ACS Brief
Most Surgeons Who Experience Microaggressions Take Action to Address Them
June 2, 2026
In the latest episode of The Operative Word from JACS podcast, host Dr. Lillian Erdahl is joined by Drs. Pringl Miller and Christine Heisler to discuss their recent Journal of the American College of Surgeons article, “Whether and How Surgeons Took Action Against Workplace Microaggression: Survey of the American College of Surgeons Members.” The study revealed that surgeon colleagues and supervisors were the most frequent perpetrators. More than half of surgeons responded, most often by reporting the behavior to a colleague and/or directly confronting the perpetrator. However, surgeons who acted were less likely to choose a career in surgery again.
