When Things Go Wrong, Who Can I Talk To? Support After an Adverse Event

Surgical complications and adverse events are an unavoidable reality in medical practice, but the emotional impact on surgeons often goes unspoken. Join us for a candid and compassionate one hour moderated discussion that sheds light on the often-overlooked emotional aftermath of surgical complications. This session will explore the vital role of peer support in helping surgeons navigate the path back to professional confidence and personal well-being. Learn how fostering a culture of empathy and connection can make a meaningful difference in the lives of surgical professionals. Hosted by the ACS Women in Surgery Committee.

Moderator

Kelly Dinnan, DO, FACS, FACOS

Dr. Dinnan is an acute care surgeon now practicing as a rural general surgeon in Glendive, MT. She is the trauma medical director for Glendive Medical Center, which became a level 4 trauma center under her leadership. Previously, Dr. Dinnan was the assistant program director for general surgery residency and the medical director for surgical ICU at Botsford Hospital/Beaumont Health in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Dr. Dinnan is a member of the ACS Women in Surgery Committee and serves as the Personal Empowerment Program Subcommittee Vice Chair. 

Dr. Dinnan received her DO at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and her surgical critical care fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco-Fresno, California. 

Panelists

Jo Shapiro, MD, FACS

Dr. Jo Shapiro is an associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School and a consultant for the department of surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2008, she founded the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Professionalism and Peer Support, where she served as the director for over 10 years. In 2018, Harvard Medical School gave her the Shirley Driscoll Dean’s Award for the Advancement of Women’s Careers. She was a faculty member in the department of surgery at BWH for over 35 years; her clinical expertise was in oropharyngeal dysphagia. She continues to educate and assist organizations in developing specific programmatic and educational approaches to patient safety and clinician wellbeing, such as peer support, disclosure and apology, professionalism, psychological safety initiatives, giving feedback and conflict management. 

Dr. Shapiro received her B.A. from Cornell University and her M.D. from George Washington University Medical School. She trained in general surgery at the University of California, San Diego, and then UCLA. She did her otolaryngology training at Harvard, followed by a year of a National Institute of Health Training Grant Fellowship in swallowing physiology. 

Sharon L. Stein, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Dr. Stein is a colorectal surgeon at MetroHealth Hospitals and an Adjunct Professor at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine. She has served as the president of the Association of Women Surgeons, as Chair of the American College of Surgeons Women in Surgery Committee, and on the executive council of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. She has worked for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) as a surgeon in both South Sudan and Haiti.

As an academician, Dr. Stein has published over 150 articles, editorials, and chapters on a variety of topics from minimally invasive surgery to diversity in surgery. She has written extensively on minimally invasive surgery, colorectal cancer, and enhanced recovery protocols, as well as gender disparities in surgery, including pay equity, pregnancy in surgery, and intimate partner violence, and is the senior author on a landmark trial on coaching. In recognition of her contributions to scholarship, she has been invited to serve as a reviewer for several prestigious journals, to write several book chapters, and has published a book on laparoscopic colectomy. She has been invited to deliver hundreds of CME lectures and contribute to scientific publications both nationally and internationally. She was the first woman to receive an honorary fellowship from the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland.  

Additionally, Dr. Stein works as a professional development and leadership coach through her program, The Intentional Surgeon. She speaks on coaching, leadership, and professional development nationally and internationally and regularly works with societies and institutions to deliver professional development content to their staff and trainees. You can catch her podcast, “The Intentional Surgeon,” via her website or podcast portals.

Karla Witzke, DO, MHA, FACOS

Dr. Witzke is a general urologist in Midland, MI, and serves as chief of urology for MyMichigan Health System and is the chair of the Surgical Services Executive Committee.
She commonly treats kidney stones and has been involved in studies with the Michigan Urologic Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC). One current trial, SOUL, is evaluating stent discomfort and if urologists may be able to use stenting less frequently with safe and reliable results. Recently, MUSIC ROCKS was evaluating antibiotic guidelines and use for kidney stone surgery.

Dr Witzke also has a passion for helping other surgeons who are struggling through difficulty. She developed a peer support system, MUSIC CARES, for urologists in the State of Michigan. This support system is unique and was started in 2022 with assistance and dedication from urologists around the state. She is grateful to be surrounded by other urologists dedicated to lifting each other up and recognizing the value of mental health support.

Dr. Witzke graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a residency at General Surgery Mt Clemens General Hospital in Mt. Clemens, MI. She completed her urology residency through the MSU Metro Detroit Urology Consortium.