American College of Surgeons: Committees of the American College of Surgeons

Advisory Committee on SESAP

To produce and administer the Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program (SESAP); to aid surgeons in attaining and maintaining the high level of knowledge and understanding necessary to provide optimal patient care.

Chair: John A. Weigelt, MD, FACS, Milwaukee, WI
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Belinda Andry, Chicago, IL
Amy Robinson-Gerace, Chicago, IL

Advisory Committee on SESAP page

To comprehensively address the educational needs of allied health professionals as members of surgical teams, to educate surgeons regarding the roles of allied health professionals, to support and assist allied health professionals involved in surgical care; to participate in defining duties of allied health professionals, and to assist with the process of accreditation of their respective educational programs.

Chair: Richard H. Turnage, MD, FACS, Shreveport, LA
Vice-Chair: William David Spotnitz, MD, FACS, Gainesville, FL
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Laura R. Meyer, Chicago, IL

The Central Judiciary Committee (CJC) is a Regental Committee which has the general supervision and direction of disciplinary matters under the Board of Regents. The CJC consists of five Fellows of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), three of whom must be Regents. Members of the CJC are appointed by the Board of Regents and serve until such time as their successors are appointed and qualified.

Chair: A. Brent Eastman, MD, FACS, La Jolla, CA
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Ellen MacRae Waller, Chicago, IL

Established by the College in 1922, the multidisciplinary Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to reducing the morbidity and mortality of cancer through education, standard-setting, and the monitoring of quality care. Commission membership is comprised of 100 individuals who are either surgeons representing the College or member organization representatives from the 37 national, professional organizations affiliated with the Commission. The activities of the Commission are coordinated through the Approvals, Cancer Liaison, and Quality Integration committees, and the Disease Site Teams.

Chair: Frederick Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC
Staff: David P. Winchester, MD, FACS, Medical Director
Connie Bura, Chicago, IL
Lynda Watt, Chicago, IL

Continuous Professional Development, Committee on

To comprehensively address the educational needs of practicing surgeons in both academic and community-based settings, across the surgical disciplines, and throughout the different career stages, from the junior to senior level surgeon.

Chair: James C. Hebert, MD, FACS, Burlington, VT
Vice-Chair: Richard C. Karl, MD, FACS, Tampa, FL
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Cherylnn Sherman, Chicago, IL

Committee on Continuous Professional Development page

Development, Committee on

To encourage membership in the Fellows Leadership Society and general philanthropic support. The objectives of the Fellows Leadership Society are: (1) to encourage philanthropic support of initiatives important to the future of surgery; (2) to promote awareness and understanding of the mission, accomplishments, and the needs of the College; and (3) to encourage leadership and loyalty to the College among the Fellowship and friends.

Chair: Richard B. Reiling, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC
Vice-Chair: Lynn H. Harrison, MD, FACS, New Orleans, LA
Staff: Fred W. Holzrichter, Chicago, IL
Christine Eyman, Chicago, IL
Courtney Wells, Chicago, IL

ACS Foundation pages

Committee on Diversity Issues

The mission of the Committee on Diversity Issues is to study the educational and professional needs of underrepresented surgeons and surgical trainees and the impact that its work may have on the elimination of health disparities among diverse population groups. To this end, the Committee seeks recognition and support from the ACS through the College’s mission policies and programs.

Chair: Joseph Espat, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Peg Haar, Chicago, IL

Committee on Diversity Issues pages

To provide the overall direction, guidance, and coordination for the spectrum of educational activities of the American College of Surgeons and to comprehensively address the needs of various learners, including practicing surgeons, surgery residents and Fellows, and medical students, at the various stages in their professional development and from across the surgical disciplines. (Committee goals.)

Chair: Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, Baltimore, MD
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Linda Stewart, Chicago, IL
Susan Rosero, Chicago, IL

To study the implications of emerging surgical technologies and to suggest the best methods of developing generic policies that will accelerate education in this area and protect our patients' welfare.

Chair: Barrett G. Haik, MD, FACS, Memphis, TN
Vice-Chair: Edgar D. Staren, MD, FACS, Zion, IL
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Emily Bakken, Chicago, IL

To provide the Board of Regents with a means for deliberation and preparation of ethical issues which the College may address.

Chair: John T. Preskitt, MD, FACS, Dallas, TX
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Laura R. Meyer, Chicago, IL

To select abstracts for the Owen H. Wangensteen Forum on Fundamental Surgical Problems.

Chair: Stanley W. Ashley, MD, FACS, Boston, MA
Vice-Chair: Ori D. Rotstein, MD, FACS, Toronto, ON
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Julie A. Aikins, Chicago, IL
Kathryn Matousek, Chicago, IL

Formed at the request of the College's Advisory Council for General Surgery in 1991, the Committee formerly called the CPT/RUC Committee, represents and acts in the interests of General Surgeons and their clinical practices regarding regulatory, legislative, and other issues that impact coding, billing and reimbursement for general surgical services.

Chair: John O. Gage, MD, FACS, Pensacola, FL
Staff: Cynthia Brown, Washington, DC
Barbara Peck, Washington, DC
Kay Sykes, Washington, DC

The charge to the committee is to guide the College in: (1) methods to propagate and disseminate information for education of the Fellowship; (2) evaluation and preparation of interactive technologies for all aspects of Fellowship management and education; (3) the preparation and maintenance of policies necessary to coordinate and insure compatibility of information technology within the College; (4) participation in national committees and leadership organizations that direct the application of healthcare information technology and direct healthcare information technology policy; and (5) a gradual but continuous migration of all forms of communication within the College, between the College and its Fellowship, and among the Fellowship, from conventional methods to methods utilizing the latest mainstream technology

Chair: Peter S. Greene, MD, FACS, Baltimore, MD
Staff: Howard Tanzman, Chicago, IL
Patti Duke, Chicago, IL

To promote relationships between the College and surgeons throughout the world in the areas of clinical practice, education, research and health care administration.

Chair: John R. Benfield, MD, FACS, Los Angeles, CA
Vice-Chair: Hugo V. Villar, MD, FACS, Tucson, AZ
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Kate Early, Chicago, IL

To comprehensively address the educational needs in surgery for medical students during all four years of medical school; to support educational efforts that facilitate the transition from medical school to residency training; and facilitate the involvement of medical students in the educational activities of the American College of Surgeons. (Committee goals)

Chair: James F. McKinsey, MD, FACS, New York, NY
Vice-Chair: Nancy L. Gantt, MD, FACS, Youngtown, OH
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Cherylnn Sherman, Chicago, IL

To advise the Board of Regents on all issues related to membership in the College, including applications for Fellowship; revisions to membership requirements; and matters related to dues and status changes. The Member Services Liaison Committee has oversight responsibilities for all credentials committees that the Board of Regents may establish for the purpose of allocation review.

Chair: H. Randolph Bailey, MD, FACS , Houston, TX
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Donna Coulombe, Chicago, IL

The American College of Surgeons Patient Education Committee works to improve the quality of patient care and promote patient safety through educational efforts that recognize patients as integral members of the surgical team. The Committee’s aim is to help patients and their significant others become thoroughly informed about their operation, provide evidence to guide them in their decisions, and empower them with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in their surgical care and continued postoperative care upon discharge.

Co-Chairs: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Jack W. McAninch, MD, FACS , San Francisco, CA

Staff: Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Kathleen Heneghan, MSN, RN, Chicago, IL
Tanisha Woodson-Shelby, Chicago, IL

To provide a resource to the College in policy development concerning surgical care quality improvement and patient safety; provide educational information for the profession and public on the subjects of surgical care quality improvement and patient safety; and to help the College provide input to public and private sector entities that are involved in the development and implementation of performance- and cost-based incentive programs.

Chair: Frank Opelka, MD, FACS, New Orleans, LA
Vice-Chair: Donald Moorman, MD, FACS, Boston, MA
Staff: Cynthia A. Brown, Washington, DC
Karen Richards, Chicago, IL

To serve as the primary resource to the College, the profession, the community and the government on topics concerning perioperative care. The mission of the CPC is to develop and present information and recommendations related to education, technology, standards of care, clinical and facilities management and assessment of outcomes.

Chair: William P. Schecter, MD, FACS, San Francisco, CA
Vice-Chairs: T. Forcht Dagi, MD, FACS, Newton Centre, MA and Paul A. Taheri, MD, FACS, Burlington, VT
Staff: Karen Richards, Chicago, IL
Mary T. Fitzgerald, Chicago, IL

Responsible for planning and implementing the continuing educational offerings of the College, primarily the postgraduate courses, sessions and symposia at the annual Clinical Congress. In addition to its 11-member committee, over 30 liaison members represent the various disciplines and groups in surgery.

Chair: Barbara L. Bass, MD, FACS, Houston, TX
Vice-Chair: Timothy R. Billiar, MD, FACS, Pittsburgh, PA
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Julie Tribe, Chicago, IL
Beth Brown, Chicago, IL

To enhance the public profile and visibility of the American College of Surgeons.

Chair: Jack W. McAninch, MD, FACS, San Francisco, CA
Staff: Linn Meyer, Chicago, IL
Diane Mazmanian, Chicago, IL

The RAS will serve to familiarize surgical residents and young surgeons with the ACS and its programs and the value of being a Fellow. The RAS will also provide opportunities for the opinions and concerns of residents and young surgeons to be heard by the ACS leadership. The RAS will provide an avenue for participation in ACS affairs and promote the development and use of leadership skills in organized surgery.

Chair: Ted James, MD, Burlington, VT
Vice-Chair: Jacob Moalem, MD, San Francisco, CA
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Peg Haar, Chicago, IL

To comprehensively address the educational needs of surgical residents and fellows from across the surgical disciplines and to support educational efforts to facilitate the transition from medical school to residency training and from residency training into surgical practice. (Committee goals)

Chair: Myriam J. Curet, MD, FACS, Stanford, CA
Vice-Chair: Mary E. Maniscalco-Theberge, MD, FACS, Washington, DC
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Chicago, IL
Cherylnn Sherman, Chicago, IL

To promote and administer the American College of Surgeons Research Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards.

Chair: A. Brent Eastman, MD, FACS, San Diego, CA
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Kate Early, Chicago, IL

To be concerned with, and to represent the College in, matters addressing the progress of academic surgery and the funding, content, and direction of surgical research as it pertains to improving the care of patients.

Chair: Colleen M. Brophy, MD, FACS, Phoenix, AZ
Vice-Chair: John D. Birkmeyer, MD, FACS, Ann Arbor, MI
Staff: Karen Richards, Chicago, IL
Mary T. Fitzgerald, Chicago, IL

To improve all phases of the management of the injured patient including prehospital care and transportation, hospital care, and rehabilitation; to prevent injuries in the home, in industry, on the highway, and during participation in sports; to establish and implement institutional and systems standards for care of the injured; to provide education to improve trauma care; and to cooperate with other national organizations with similar objectives.

Chair: John J. Fildes, MD, FACS, Las Vegas, NV
Vice-Chair: M. Margaret Knudson, MD, FACS, San Francisco, CA
Staff: J. Wayne Meredith, MD, FACS, Winston-Salem, NC
Carol Williams, Chicago, IL

To survey existing medical motion pictures, to decide upon subjects suitable for motion picture illustration, and to determine and develop the demand for such films.

Chair: Horacio J. Asbun, MD, FACS, Pleasant Hill, CA
Vice-Chair: Dennis L. Fowler, MD, FACS, New York, NY
Staff: Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Chicago, IL
Julie Tribe, Chicago, IL
Gay Lynn Dykman, Chicago, IL

To promote recruitment and retention of Fellowship within the American College of Surgeons among women in the surgical specialties; to aid in the development of and enhance the leadership roles for women surgeons within the American College of Surgeons as well as other surgical and medical organizations.

Chair: Mary Margaret Kemeny, MD, FACS, Jamaica, NY
Vice-Chair: Danielle A. Katz, MD, Syracuse, NY
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Donna Coulombe, Chicago, IL

To establish closer relations with Resident Members, Associate Fellows, and other young Fellows of the College, to recommend how young surgeons can actively participate in College affairs, and to assess how College activities can be made more meaningful to young surgeons.

Chair: Perry Shen, MD, FACS, Winston Salem, NC
Vice-Chair: Mark Savarise, MD, FACS, Sandpoint, ID
Staff: Paul E. Collicott, MD, FACS, Chicago, IL
Rhonda Peebles, Chicago, IL

Committees of the American College of Surgeons

This page and all contents are Copyright © 1996-2008 by the American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL 60611-3211

This page and all contents are Copyright © 1996-2008
by the American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL 60611-3211