Negotiation is a skill that can be learned.   And when surgeons practice good negotiation, it can not only help them get the compensation they deserve but also secure the resources to support their professional growth goals. This is particularly important for women who are beginning their careers as surgeons. One study showed that female physicians’ annual salaries can be 8% lower than male physicians’ annual salaries .

That’s why the Johnson & Johnson Institute and the Women’s Leadership and Inclusion (WLI) network hosted a virtual program that shared the experiences of leading surgeons and advice from a negotiation expert.  You can watch a replay of the program here.   Prior to viewing, you will need to sign-in or register.

https://jnjinstitute.com/en-us/online-profed-resources/resources/advancing-women-surgeons-negotiate-get-what-you-deserve

Better Negotiating Skills

The lead panelists for the program were Leah Backhus, MD, Thoracic Surgeon, Stanford Healthcare; Betsy Dovec, MD, Bariatric Surgeon, AdventHealth Orlando; and 
Linda Suleiman, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Northwestern Medicine. Together, they discussed lessons learned and tips for better negotiating, including:

• Know Your Worth.  Before you start negotiating, do your homework. The more you know about what people around you are making, the more confident you will feel in asking for what you deserve.  There are also industry services that publish information on salaries and compensation for your specialty and it might be helpful to access these resources. 
• Align Negotiation to Your Goals.  There is more to negotiate than money.  Think about your goals today and in the future.  Are you interested in doing research? Do you want to do more medical education?  Think about the resources and support you need to obtain your goals and make this part of the negotiation. 
• It’s Okay to Walk Away. If what you are asking for is reasonable, and the other party will not agree to it, it’s fine to walk away from the negotiation.  If the other party is not valuing what you bring to the table, there will be another organization that will.

Other insights from the surgeon panelists: 

“It’s not your job to figure out the ‘how.’  That is the other party’s job.  You need to demonstrate what and why.” - Dr. Backhus

“An attorney can help you understand the language of a contract, but not the negotiation.  You need to own that” - Dr. Suleiman

“We often focus on the clinical aspects of what we do, but if you are doing recruitment or patient education you should be compensated for this.  Everything you do could potentially have a dollar value tied to it.” - Dr. Dovec

A Framework for Good Negotiation 

Gabriella Salvatore, an expert in negotiation and relationship management with Vantage Partners, reviewed the Seven Element Framework:  An approach to analyzing any negotiation, it can be used both strategically and tactically to systematically prepare for and conduct effective negotiations.   

“We were honored to collaborate with such an impressive panel of surgeons and Vantage Partners on this program,” said Leslie Storms, President, ETHICON, U.S. “It was inspirational for all of us who are committed to advancing gender equity in surgery and know the positive impact this will have on healthcare innovation and patient care.”

This webinar is part of a series of educational programs presented by the Johnson & Johnson Institute and the WLI for women surgeons. 

1.  Statement on Gender Salary Equity - Association of Women Surgeons

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