Dr. Carlos A. Pellegrini selected into membership in new American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators

Photo Credit: Hayley Young

October 30, 2018

Dr. Carlos A. Pellegrini, Chief Medical Officer, UW Medicine, and Vice President for Medical Affairs, is among a group of 91 esteemed surgeons from seven countries selected into membership in the new American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™. The Academy’s first induction ceremony occurred on October 3rd at the John B. Murphy Memorial auditorium in Chicago.

Dr. Pellegrini is a distinguished surgical educator whose experience in the field includes having been director of the American Board of Surgery, chairman of the ACGME Residency Review for Surgery, and president of both the American Surgical Association and the American College of Surgeons. He is currently a member of the board of The Joint Commission.

He recently received the Seattle Business Magazine Lifetime award for his work on the education of the next generation of surgeons and his influence in healthcare delivery in Seattle.

Dr. Pellegrini remarks, “I am honored and proud by the selection to the Academy. Education and training have always been at the center of my activities and reflect a passion that was inspired by some of my dearest mentors. But election to the Academy is only the end to the beginning—the Academy provides a forum and a platform to continue to work to advance our knowledge and to elevate training and education to the next level. The Academy is also the soul of the American College of Surgeons, which provides me the unique opportunity to continue to serve the College and advance its mission.”

Developed under the auspices of the ACS Division of Education, the Academy recognizes surgeon educators who have devoted their careers to surgical education. Individuals are selected as Members or Associate Members following stringent peer review. The Academy’s mission is to play a leadership role in advancing the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties, promoting the highest achievements in the lifetimes of surgeons. Academy membership carries an obligation for commitment to the Academy’s goals, which are to identify, recognize, and recruit innovators and thought leaders committed to advancing lifelong surgical education; translate innovation into actions; offer mentorship to surgeon educators; foster exchange of creative ideas; disseminate advances in surgical education; and positively impact the quality of surgical care and patient safety.

In addition to supporting the mission and goals of the Academy, members must actively participate in Academy programs and activities. “Moving forward, we plan to pursue the Academy’s goals with great enthusiasm,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, Director of the ACS Division of Education and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy. “To start, small groups of Members and Associate Members will be assembled to work on addressing these goals. We also plan to publish an annual publication, Proceedings of the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators that will be launched in late 2019.” 

“With highest quality patient care through education being the paramount theme of the American College of Surgeons, the establishment of the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators is an important new chapter for the ACS, the world’s largest organization for surgeons,” explained L.D.Britt, MD, MPH, DSc(Hon), FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon), FRCS(Glasg)(Hon), past president of the ACS, and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy.

“This is an important time in medicine for such an accomplished and innovative group of surgeon educators to come together. Underscoring the critical importance of surgical education in a changing health care environment will be one major focus for the work of the Academy,” said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS. “We congratulate and welcome all members and associate members of the inaugural class.”

For a listing of all surgeons honored with selection into the Academy visit:

https://www.facs.org/education/academy/2018selection

###

For details about UW Medicine, please visit http://uwmedicine.org/about. 

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 80,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org.