Surgeon-Scientist Training Pathway (SSTP)

The ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators Grand Rounds Series is pleased to present this virtual panel discussion with Dr. Jeffrey Matthews and Dr. John Olson, moderated by Dr. Mohsen Shabahang, with welcoming remarks by Dr. Ajit K. Sachdeva.

During this session, our panelists will discuss a new, national pilot program that creates a separate, matchable track allowing medical students interested in an academic career the opportunity to match directly into unique residency positions focused on developing both research and clinical skills in a longitudinal and supportive environment.

Participation in the Academy Virtual Grand Rounds is designated for 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Jeffrey B. Matthews, MD, FACS, MAMSE

Dr. Jeffrey B. Matthews is the Distinguished Dallas B. Phemister Professor of Surgery, Chair of the Department of Surgery, and Surgeon-in-Chief at The University of Chicago. A graduate of Harvard College and Medical School, he trained in general surgery at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital and hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery at the University of Bern. A surgeon-scientist whose lab was federally funded for over two decades, Dr Matthews is a leading authority on the surgical treatment of pancreatic, bile duct, and liver diseases, with expertise in islet autotransplantation. With over 250 publications and multiple surgical textbooks, and editorial leadership for medical and surgical journals, he has made groundbreaking contributions to both clinical practice and medical education. In additional to 24 years as surgery department chair, Dr. Matthews has held significant leadership roles at the American Board of Surgery and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and has served as president of multiple prestigious surgical societies Dr. Matthews is widely regarded as a champion for diversity and inclusion in surgery, and has been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of University Surgeons.

John A. Olson Jr., MD, PhD, FACS

John A. Olson, Jr., MD, PhD, is the William K. Bixby Endowed Professor, Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Washington University, and Surgeon-in-Chief of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. He specializes in endocrine and oncologic surgery with a focus on surgical diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands, as well as breast cancer. His NIH-funded research laboratory investigates the molecular pathogenesis of parathyroid tumors, and his clinical research has focused on novel neoadjuvant therapies for breast cancer and biomarkers of breast cancer clinical outcomes. 

Dr. Olson joined the Faculty at Washington University in 2022 following a 10-year tenure at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland, and a 12-year tenure at Duke University Medical School in Durham, North Carolina. He trained in surgical oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and in general surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis. During his residency, he was also a Registrar of the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Olson received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Florida in Gainesville.  

The session will be moderated by Mohsen Shabahang, MD, PhD, FACS, MAMSE, who until recently was the vice president and chief medical officer of the WellSpan Surgery Service Line in York, PA. After four years at WellSpan, Dr. Shabahang is pursuing a Masters in Leadership and Organizational Change at Case Western Reserve University. Currently, Dr. Shabahang serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee of Novel Teaching and Assessment Methods and Educational Resources for the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, will deliver opening remarks. Dr. Sachdeva is the Senior Vice President of the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators at the American College of Surgeons. He was the founding director of the ACS Division of Education, where he established educational programs for surgeons, surgery residents, medical students and members of surgical teams. Under Dr. Sachdeva’s leadership, several major education and training initiatives were launched, including the Program for Accreditation of Education Institutes (simulation centers); ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators; and an innovative Patient Education Program. Dr. Sachdeva also serves as adjunct professor of surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

Dr. Sachdeva was awarded the Distinguished Educator Award (a lifetime achievement award) by the Association for Surgical Education, and the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Healthcare Simulation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. He has also received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Blockley-Osler Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, the Board of Trustees’ Award for Teaching Excellence, and Golden Apple Awards for teaching excellence. Dr. Sachdeva has served on the boards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and Accreditation Council for Graduation Medical Education (ACGME). Dr. Sachdeva has served as president of the Association for Surgical Education, president of the American Association for Cancer Education, president of the Alliance for Clinical Education, president of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, and president of the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education.