Cut From the Same Cloth? Investigating the Personality of Interventional and Surgical Cardiovascular Specialists

This cross-sectional study compared the personality traits of 224 Dutch vascular surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, and interventional radiologists using the validated Big Five Inventory-2. While all specialists showed higher levels of open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, along with lower levels of negative emotionality compared to the general population, notable differences emerged between the specialties. Cardiothoracic surgeons were found to be more agreeable than interventional radiologists, while vascular surgeons showed lower levels of negative emotionality. Facet-level analyses revealed distinctions in compassion, creative imagination, and assertiveness. These differences suggest that unique personality patterns exist even among professionals working within similar cardiovascular care pathways. Importantly, personality differences have been linked with surgical outcomes, clinical decision-making, and teamwork, and should be investigated further.