Surgeon attrition is threatening surgical services, particularly in key specialties.

• Nearly 10% of surgeons exited active practice in 8 years, peaking at 2.5% in 2019.
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery (25.1%), obstetrics and gynecology (23.2%), and plastic surgery (19.3%) showed the highest attrition rates.

Surgeons with 10-14 years of experience faced more than double the risk of leaving practice compared to those with 5-9 years.

• Female surgeons showed no difference in attrition rates compared to males.

Prioritizing retention strategies is crucial to ensure continued access to surgical care.