Summary - Incisions and Decisions is a reflective presentation that weaves together my professional journey—from surgeon to policy expert to executive leader—with broader insights on health policy, leadership, and organizational resilience. I highlight the relationship between surgical practice and health policy (with case studies such as Maryland’s Global Budget Revenue system), the role of research in shaping policy, and the evolving responsibilities of surgeons in institutional leadership. This presentation also frames leadership as a relational practice, grounded in trust, resilience, and humility, while situating these lessons in the rapidly changing U.S. healthcare landscape. Ultimately, my talk is designed to offer a lens on how clinicians can extend their impact from the operating room to the boardroom.

Learning objectives:
1) Connecting individual purpose ("why") with career choices, fulfillment and impact

2)  Understand the intersection of surgical practice and health policy, using Maryland’s Global Budget Revenue model as a case study to evaluate intended and unintended effects on surgical care.

3) Apply leadership principles that emphasize relational trust, resilience, and adaptability when transitioning from clinical practice to broader organizational or policy roles