Psychological Safety for Surgeons: Building Trust, Teamwork, and Well-being

Sunday, October 18, 2026

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM PT

Location: 406A

Moderator(s)

NJ

Nausheen Jamal, MD, MBA

Harry Carothers Wiess Professor & Chair of Otolaryngology-HNS
University of Texas Medical Branch Dept of Otolaryngolgy
Galveston, TX, United States

Panelist(s)

Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, FACS

David Myers MD Professor & Chair, Otolaryngology-HNS
Temple University/Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Michael J. Brenner, MD

Associate Professor
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI, United States
James G. Naples, MD

Assistant Professor
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School
Needham, MA, United States

Disclosure(s):

Nausheen Jamal, MD, MBA:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

This panel defines psychological safety as it relates to otolaryngology – head and neck surgery and examines its critical role in patient safety and quality improvement. We will present strategies for creating a psychologically safe environment and will highlight factors that can promote or threaten the culture. Conflict management, microaggressions, and organizational accountability will be highlighted, along with the importance of emotional intelligence as it relates to psychological safety.

Learning Objectives:

Describe approaches to building and sustaining a culture of psychological safety.
Understand the role of the individual in ensuring psychological safety via emotional intelligence, conflict management, and bystander interventions for microaggressions.
Recognize the role of the organization in developing a culture of safety by ensuring accountability and support.