CHICAGO—David A. Kappel, MD, FACS, a plastic surgeon from Wheeling, WV, was presented with the Meritorious Achievement Award of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) during the Annual Meeting of the Committee on Trauma, on March 4, 2005, in Washington, DC. The Meritorious Achievement Award recognizes Dr. Kappel's many contributions to the care of injured patients as well as his efforts on the local level to further the mission of the Committee on Trauma.

Dr. Kappel has served the COT in many capacities, particularly in the state of West Virginia. He served as a member (1981-present), President-Elect (2002), and President (2003) of the West Virginia Chapter of the College and Chair (1997-present) of the West Virginia Committee on Trauma. Additionally, he served as Chair of the State Advisory Committee on Trauma (1998-present) and as an instructor for the Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS®) program (1981-present). Dr. Kappel is the 37th recipient of the award since its inception in 1972, and he was chosen by the COT Executive Committee in honor of his long-time support of, and personal commitment to, the care of trauma patients.

Dr. Kappel attended West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, where he received an MD degree in 1969. He became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1981. Dr. Kappel is currently on staff at Ohio Valley Medical Center and Wheeling Hospital, both of which are in Wheeling; Trinity Medical Center East, Steubenville, OH; and East Ohio Regional Hospital, Martins Ferry, OH. He has been a private practice plastic surgeon at Plastic Surgery, Inc., since 1976. In addition to his membership in the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Kappel holds memberships in many prominent US surgical and medical associations, including the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Burn Association, and the American Medical Association.

The mission of the Committee on Trauma is 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.

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 to improve the care of the surgical patient. 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 66,000 members, and it is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

Online May 15, 2005

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