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Practice Management

Understanding Surgeon Unionization

The Board of Regents formed the Optimal Working Environment for Surgeons Task Force in early 2025 to develop objective, evidence-based resources to help ACS members understand the current landscape of physician unionization. The goal of these materials is to provide factual, balanced information about how unionization may affect surgeons and surgical trainees, including what can occur under union structures, and the legal and ethical considerations involved. This is an issue that touches the entire House of Surgery. 

The following FAQs, bibliographic references, and resource links are provided to help surgeons and residents make informed, independent decisions about unionization and their professional environment.

Note: The ACS is not endorsing the union concept or creating a union; the resources are for information only. 

Workplace Standards

The task force developed a structured framework of specialty-specific Workplace Standards for Surgeons to define sustainable clinical practice and align surgeon well-being with patient safety, system efficiency, and workforce stability.

Recent Podcasts

ACS Releases New Framework of Workplace Standards for Surgeons (House of Surgery)

Sustainable Surgical Practice: Defining Workplace Standards for the Modern Era (Behind the Knife)

Helpful Resources

Frequently Asked Questions about Unionization

Frequently Asked Questions about Unionization

Review frequently asked questions about physician unionization and surgical resident unionization.
Supporting Materials

Supporting Materials

The ACS has compiled a list of organizations, unions, and associated resources that offer additional information on physician unionization.
Bibliography

Bibliography

The ACS has curated a bibliography with articles focused on physician and resident unionization.

Disclaimer

These materials are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to provide professional, medical, or legal advice. Decisions regarding patient care must be made by the providing physician. Similarly, wage and compensation models are provided for informational and illustrative purposes only and are not intended to influence individual employment decisions, which must be made independently by the physician and their employer.