Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties

Vincent Q. Sier; Roderick F. Schmitz; Reinier W. A. M. Wertenbroek; Abbey Schepers; Joost R. van der Vorst; I. Beetz; M. A. Bessems; D. Boerma; P. H. Castenmiller; J. L. de Bruin; C. de Jonge; P. T. den Hoed; R. J. Derksen; P. G. Doornebosch; J. W. Duijff; M. P. J. Engelen; D. J. Evers; E. J. B. Furnée; T. J. Gardenbroek; R. H. Geelkerken; J. Heemskerk; A. A. Hellingman; R. J. Hissink; P. E. N. Hoek; C. E. S. Hoogstins; R. M. Houwert; G. I. T. Iordens; P. Johannesma; W. Kelder; S. Kleinveld; Schelto Kruijff; M. M. Kuipers; J. H. P. Lardenoije; L. Levert-Brand; M. A. Lijkwan; F. Logeman; B. Meesters; M. J. Molegraaf; B. G. Molenkamp; M. Möllers; C. C. L. M. Naves; H. W. Nijhof; J. P. E. N. Pierie; T. Schok; M. F. Sier; J. B. Sintenie; R. J. Swijnenburg; J. A. W. Teijink; J. A. ten Bosch; J. Tiernan; H. P. van ‘t Sant; F. J. van Beek; K. M. van de Luijtgaarden; J. G. H. van den Brand; P. van Duijvendijk; G. J. van Eijck; J. A. van Essen; R. B. M. van Tongeren; V. van Weel; F. van Workum; P. Veldman; S. C. Veltkamp; B. H. Verhoeven; A. M. Wiersema; S. Woltz; E. C. M. Zeestraten

doi:10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003

Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties

Vincent Q. Sier
, Roderick F. Schmitz
, Reinier W. A. M. Wertenbroek
, Abbey Schepers
, Joost R. van der Vorst^*
, I. Beetz
, M. A. Bessems
, D. Boerma
, P. H. Castenmiller
, J. L. de Bruin
, C. de Jonge
, P. T. den Hoed
, R. J. Derksen
, P. G. Doornebosch
, J. W. Duijff
, M. P. J. Engelen
, D. J. Evers
, E. J. B. Furnée
, T. J. Gardenbroek
, R. H. Geelkerken

J. Heemskerk, A. A. Hellingman, R. J. Hissink, P. E. N. Hoek, C. E. S. Hoogstins, R. M. Houwert, G. I. T. Iordens, P. Johannesma, W. Kelder, S. Kleinveld, Schelto Kruijff, M. M. Kuipers, J. H. P. Lardenoije, L. Levert-Brand, M. A. Lijkwan, F. Logeman, B. Meesters, M. J. Molegraaf, B. G. Molenkamp, M. Möllers, C. C. L. M. Naves, H. W. Nijhof, J. P. E. N. Pierie, T. Schok, M. F. Sier, J. B. Sintenie, R. J. Swijnenburg, J. A. W. Teijink, J. A. ten Bosch, J. Tiernan, H. P. van ‘t Sant, F. J. van Beek, K. M. van de Luijtgaarden, J. G. H. van den Brand, P. van Duijvendijk, G. J. van Eijck, J. A. van Essen, R. B. M. van Tongeren, V. van Weel, F. van Workum, P. Veldman, S. C. Veltkamp, B. H. Verhoeven, A. M. Wiersema, S. Woltz, E. C. M. Zeestraten

^*Corresponding author for this work

Leiden University
Groene Hart Hospital

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: Traditional exploration of surgical professionals' personality traits focuses on general characteristics at the domain-level of the five-factor model. Personality has been related to clinically-relevant areas such as clinical decision-making and team effectiveness, yet there is limited insight in the personality of surgeons at the facet-level of the Big Five. Here, we performed a large-scale study examining domain- and facet-variations of personality in four surgical generations and subspecialties. Method: The Big Five Inventory-2, measuring the five domains and fifteen corresponding facets of personality, was distributed among all general surgery departments in the Netherlands. Surgically-interested medical students were approached via the surgical student society. A normative sample was matched for age to the surgical population. Corrected one-way analyses of variance were performed. Results: The surgical population (medical students (n = 126), surgical residents not-in-training (n = 147), surgical residents-in-training (n = 227), and surgeons (n = 539)) scored higher on open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and lower on negative emotionality relative to the normative population. Higher conscientiousness (p < 0.01) and lower negative emotionality (p < 0.001) were observed to increase per generation, together with lower open-mindedness scores in surgical residents (p < 0.001). Differences at the facet-level were present in five domains, including sub-traits such as productiveness, trust, and anxiety. Across environments, personality variances were observed in surgical subspecialty (conscientiousness, negative emotionality), teaching region (open-mindedness), and academics (open-mindedness). Conclusion: We delineated nuanced personality variations across generations and subspecialties in the surgical population, marking a starting point in the introduction of personality insights in the professional domain of healthcare.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	78-86
Number of pages	9
Journal	surgeon
Volume	23
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2025

Keywords

Big five personality
Five-factor model
Generations
Surgical personality
Work environment

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Sier, V. Q., Schmitz, R. F., Wertenbroek, R. W. A. M., Schepers, A., van der Vorst, J. R., Beetz, I., Bessems, M. A., Boerma, D., Castenmiller, P. H., de Bruin, J. L., de Jonge, C., den Hoed, P. T., Derksen, R. J., Doornebosch, P. G., Duijff, J. W., Engelen, M. P. J., Evers, D. J., Furnée, E. J. B., Gardenbroek, T. J., ... Zeestraten, E. C. M. (2025). Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties. surgeon, 23(2), 78-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003

@article{3ab5b7f698164a8aa12437e701af50ba,

title = "Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties",

abstract = "Background: Traditional exploration of surgical professionals' personality traits focuses on general characteristics at the domain-level of the five-factor model. Personality has been related to clinically-relevant areas such as clinical decision-making and team effectiveness, yet there is limited insight in the personality of surgeons at the facet-level of the Big Five. Here, we performed a large-scale study examining domain- and facet-variations of personality in four surgical generations and subspecialties. Method: The Big Five Inventory-2, measuring the five domains and fifteen corresponding facets of personality, was distributed among all general surgery departments in the Netherlands. Surgically-interested medical students were approached via the surgical student society. A normative sample was matched for age to the surgical population. Corrected one-way analyses of variance were performed. Results: The surgical population (medical students (n = 126), surgical residents not-in-training (n = 147), surgical residents-in-training (n = 227), and surgeons (n = 539)) scored higher on open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and lower on negative emotionality relative to the normative population. Higher conscientiousness (p < 0.01) and lower negative emotionality (p < 0.001) were observed to increase per generation, together with lower open-mindedness scores in surgical residents (p < 0.001). Differences at the facet-level were present in five domains, including sub-traits such as productiveness, trust, and anxiety. Across environments, personality variances were observed in surgical subspecialty (conscientiousness, negative emotionality), teaching region (open-mindedness), and academics (open-mindedness). Conclusion: We delineated nuanced personality variations across generations and subspecialties in the surgical population, marking a starting point in the introduction of personality insights in the professional domain of healthcare.",

keywords = "Big five personality, Five-factor model, Generations, Surgical personality, Work environment",

author = "Sier, \{Vincent Q.\} and Schmitz, \{Roderick F.\} and Wertenbroek, \{Reinier W. A. M.\} and Abbey Schepers and \{van der Vorst\}, \{Joost R.\} and I. Beetz and Bessems, \{M. A.\} and D. Boerma and Castenmiller, \{P. H.\} and \{de Bruin\}, \{J. L.\} and \{de Jonge\}, C. and \{den Hoed\}, \{P. T.\} and Derksen, \{R. J.\} and Doornebosch, \{P. G.\} and Duijff, \{J. W.\} and Engelen, \{M. P. J.\} and Evers, \{D. J.\} and Furn{\'e}e, \{E. J. B.\} and Gardenbroek, \{T. J.\} and Geelkerken, \{R. H.\} and J. Heemskerk and Hellingman, \{A. A.\} and Hissink, \{R. J.\} and Hoek, \{P. E. N.\} and Hoogstins, \{C. E. S.\} and Houwert, \{R. M.\} and Iordens, \{G. I. T.\} and P. Johannesma and W. Kelder and S. Kleinveld and Schelto Kruijff and Kuipers, \{M. M.\} and Lardenoije, \{J. H. P.\} and L. Levert-Brand and Lijkwan, \{M. A.\} and F. Logeman and B. Meesters and Molegraaf, \{M. J.\} and Molenkamp, \{B. G.\} and M. M{\"o}llers and Naves, \{C. C. L. M.\} and Nijhof, \{H. W.\} and Pierie, \{J. P. E. N.\} and T. Schok and Sier, \{M. F.\} and Sintenie, \{J. B.\} and Swijnenburg, \{R. J.\} and Teijink, \{J. A. W.\} and \{ten Bosch\}, \{J. A.\} and J. Tiernan and \{van {\textquoteleft}t Sant\}, \{H. P.\} and \{van Beek\}, \{F. J.\} and \{van de Luijtgaarden\}, \{K. M.\} and \{van den Brand\}, \{J. G. H.\} and \{van Duijvendijk\}, P. and \{van Eijck\}, \{G. J.\} and \{van Essen\}, \{J. A.\} and \{van Tongeren\}, \{R. B. M.\} and \{van Weel\}, V. and \{van Workum\}, F. and P. Veldman and Veltkamp, \{S. C.\} and Verhoeven, \{B. H.\} and Wiersema, \{A. M.\} and S. Woltz and Zeestraten, \{E. C. M.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003",

language = "English",

volume = "23",

pages = "78--86",

journal = "surgeon",

issn = "1479-666X",

publisher = "Elsevier Limited",

number = "2",

}

Sier, VQ, Schmitz, RF, Wertenbroek, RWAM, Schepers, A, van der Vorst, JR, Beetz, I, Bessems, MA, Boerma, D, Castenmiller, PH, de Bruin, JL, de Jonge, C, den Hoed, PT, Derksen, RJ, Doornebosch, PG, Duijff, JW, Engelen, MPJ, Evers, DJ, Furnée, EJB, Gardenbroek, TJ, Geelkerken, RH, Heemskerk, J, Hellingman, AA, Hissink, RJ, Hoek, PEN, Hoogstins, CES, Houwert, RM, Iordens, GIT, Johannesma, P, Kelder, W, Kleinveld, S, Kruijff, S, Kuipers, MM, Lardenoije, JHP, Levert-Brand, L, Lijkwan, MA, Logeman, F, Meesters, B, Molegraaf, MJ, Molenkamp, BG, Möllers, M, Naves, CCLM, Nijhof, HW, Pierie, JPEN, Schok, T, Sier, MF, Sintenie, JB, Swijnenburg, RJ, Teijink, JAW, ten Bosch, JA, Tiernan, J, van ‘t Sant, HP, van Beek, FJ, van de Luijtgaarden, KM, van den Brand, JGH, van Duijvendijk, P, van Eijck, GJ, van Essen, JA, van Tongeren, RBM, van Weel, V, van Workum, F, Veldman, P, Veltkamp, SC, Verhoeven, BH, Wiersema, AM, Woltz, S & Zeestraten, ECM 2025, 'Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties', surgeon, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 78-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003

TY - JOUR

T1 - Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties

AU - Sier, Vincent Q.

AU - Schmitz, Roderick F.

AU - Wertenbroek, Reinier W. A. M.

AU - Schepers, Abbey

AU - van der Vorst, Joost R.

AU - Beetz, I.

AU - Bessems, M. A.

AU - Boerma, D.

AU - Castenmiller, P. H.

AU - de Bruin, J. L.

AU - de Jonge, C.

AU - den Hoed, P. T.

AU - Derksen, R. J.

AU - Doornebosch, P. G.

AU - Duijff, J. W.

AU - Engelen, M. P. J.

AU - Evers, D. J.

AU - Furnée, E. J. B.

AU - Gardenbroek, T. J.

AU - Geelkerken, R. H.

AU - Heemskerk, J.

AU - Hellingman, A. A.

AU - Hissink, R. J.

AU - Hoek, P. E. N.

AU - Hoogstins, C. E. S.

AU - Houwert, R. M.

AU - Iordens, G. I. T.

AU - Johannesma, P.

AU - Kelder, W.

AU - Kleinveld, S.

AU - Kruijff, Schelto

AU - Kuipers, M. M.

AU - Lardenoije, J. H. P.

AU - Levert-Brand, L.

AU - Lijkwan, M. A.

AU - Logeman, F.

AU - Meesters, B.

AU - Molegraaf, M. J.

AU - Molenkamp, B. G.

AU - Möllers, M.

AU - Naves, C. C. L. M.

AU - Nijhof, H. W.

AU - Pierie, J. P. E. N.

AU - Schok, T.

AU - Sier, M. F.

AU - Sintenie, J. B.

AU - Swijnenburg, R. J.

AU - Teijink, J. A. W.

AU - ten Bosch, J. A.

AU - Tiernan, J.

AU - van ‘t Sant, H. P.

AU - van Beek, F. J.

AU - van de Luijtgaarden, K. M.

AU - van den Brand, J. G. H.

AU - van Duijvendijk, P.

AU - van Eijck, G. J.

AU - van Essen, J. A.

AU - van Tongeren, R. B. M.

AU - van Weel, V.

AU - van Workum, F.

AU - Veldman, P.

AU - Veltkamp, S. C.

AU - Verhoeven, B. H.

AU - Wiersema, A. M.

AU - Woltz, S.

AU - Zeestraten, E. C. M.

PY - 2025/4/1

Y1 - 2025/4/1

N2 - Background: Traditional exploration of surgical professionals' personality traits focuses on general characteristics at the domain-level of the five-factor model. Personality has been related to clinically-relevant areas such as clinical decision-making and team effectiveness, yet there is limited insight in the personality of surgeons at the facet-level of the Big Five. Here, we performed a large-scale study examining domain- and facet-variations of personality in four surgical generations and subspecialties. Method: The Big Five Inventory-2, measuring the five domains and fifteen corresponding facets of personality, was distributed among all general surgery departments in the Netherlands. Surgically-interested medical students were approached via the surgical student society. A normative sample was matched for age to the surgical population. Corrected one-way analyses of variance were performed. Results: The surgical population (medical students (n = 126), surgical residents not-in-training (n = 147), surgical residents-in-training (n = 227), and surgeons (n = 539)) scored higher on open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and lower on negative emotionality relative to the normative population. Higher conscientiousness (p < 0.01) and lower negative emotionality (p < 0.001) were observed to increase per generation, together with lower open-mindedness scores in surgical residents (p < 0.001). Differences at the facet-level were present in five domains, including sub-traits such as productiveness, trust, and anxiety. Across environments, personality variances were observed in surgical subspecialty (conscientiousness, negative emotionality), teaching region (open-mindedness), and academics (open-mindedness). Conclusion: We delineated nuanced personality variations across generations and subspecialties in the surgical population, marking a starting point in the introduction of personality insights in the professional domain of healthcare.

AB - Background: Traditional exploration of surgical professionals' personality traits focuses on general characteristics at the domain-level of the five-factor model. Personality has been related to clinically-relevant areas such as clinical decision-making and team effectiveness, yet there is limited insight in the personality of surgeons at the facet-level of the Big Five. Here, we performed a large-scale study examining domain- and facet-variations of personality in four surgical generations and subspecialties. Method: The Big Five Inventory-2, measuring the five domains and fifteen corresponding facets of personality, was distributed among all general surgery departments in the Netherlands. Surgically-interested medical students were approached via the surgical student society. A normative sample was matched for age to the surgical population. Corrected one-way analyses of variance were performed. Results: The surgical population (medical students (n = 126), surgical residents not-in-training (n = 147), surgical residents-in-training (n = 227), and surgeons (n = 539)) scored higher on open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and lower on negative emotionality relative to the normative population. Higher conscientiousness (p < 0.01) and lower negative emotionality (p < 0.001) were observed to increase per generation, together with lower open-mindedness scores in surgical residents (p < 0.001). Differences at the facet-level were present in five domains, including sub-traits such as productiveness, trust, and anxiety. Across environments, personality variances were observed in surgical subspecialty (conscientiousness, negative emotionality), teaching region (open-mindedness), and academics (open-mindedness). Conclusion: We delineated nuanced personality variations across generations and subspecialties in the surgical population, marking a starting point in the introduction of personality insights in the professional domain of healthcare.

KW - Big five personality

KW - Five-factor model

KW - Generations

KW - Surgical personality

KW - Work environment

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85217935940

U2 - 10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003

DO - 10.1016/j.surge.2025.02.003

M3 - Article

C2 - 39966018

SN - 1479-666X

VL - 23

SP - 78

EP - 86

JO - surgeon

JF - surgeon

IS - 2

ER -

Surgeon personality diversity across generations and subspecialties

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