The 2020 Pandemics: Lessons Learned in Academic Surgery and Beyond

2020 was a significant year because of the occurrence of two simultaneous public health crises: the coronavirus pandemic and the public health crisis of racism brought into the spotlight by the murder of George Floyd. The coronavirus pandemic has affected all aspects of health care, particularly the delivery of surgical care, surgical education, and academic productivity. The concomitant public health crisis of racism and health inequality during the viral pandemic highlighted opportunities for action to address gaps in surgical care and the delivery of public health services. At the 2021 Academic Surgical Congress Hot Topics session on flexibility and leadership, we also explored how our military surgeon colleagues can provide guidance in leadership during times of crisis. The following is a summary of the issues discussed during the session and reflections on the important lessons learned in academic surgery over the past year.