Assessing the costs of academic engagement in plastic surgery in the United States.

[BACKGROUND] Academic engagement plays a central role in education, leadership development, and career advancement in Plastic Surgery. While other surgical specialties have evaluated the financial barriers to such involvement, plastic surgery lacks a comprehensive cost analysis. This cross-sectional observational study seeks to quantify the cumulative costs associated with academic participation across societies, meetings, and publishing platforms.

[METHODS] Major plastic surgery societies, meetings, and journals were identified by two authors through author consensus and web-based searches. Cost data was collected in 2025 from official online sources or directly from society and meeting coordinators. A baseline academic engagement (BAE) cost was calculated for newly board-certified surgeons, and total lifetime costs were estimated assuming a 34-year clinical career. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise costs across categories and subspecialties.

[RESULTS] The average BAE was $19,367.32, with an annual continuation cost of $15,176.72. Over a 34-year career, the total estimated cost of academic engagement was $520,199.08. Median conference attendance cost was $876 for members, excluding travel and lost productivity. CME credit acquisition averaged $47.20 per credit for members and $55.71 for nonmembers. Journal subscriptions and open-access publication fees further added to the financial burden. Costs were highest in aesthetic and craniofacial subspecialties.

[CONCLUSIONS] The cumulative costs of academic participation, including society membership, conference attendance, and publication, may limit engagement, particularly for early-career, international, and private practice surgeons. Expanding virtual CME options, increasing scholarship availability, and reevaluating CME accreditation criteria may help reduce disparities and ensure broader, sustained involvement in academic plastic surgery.