Discover Unique Tales About Fellow Surgeons in Bulletin Article Series

Since his retirement in 2025, Tyler G. Hughes, MD, FACS, an ACS Past-Secretary, Governor, and Chair of the Advisory Council for Rural Surgery, has been speaking with surgeons and writing about their unique stories “A Surgeon’s Tale” articles in the ACS Bulletin.

As Dr. Hughes notes in each the articles, “Talking about the ‘average’ surgeon is like referring to an ‘average’ astronaut. Every story is unique; there is no average. In this article series, I will feature surgeons of different specialties, backgrounds, ages, and practice types. Some of the surgeons you may know well, while others have worked in near obscurity. As surgeons, they serve all with skill and trust.”

To date, Dr. Hughes has written three articles: 

Surgeon Emerges as Renaissance Man in Blue Jeans

Learn about John Lee, MD, FACS, the only otolaryngology–head and neck surgeon in Pierre, South Dakota, who is “father, husband, farmer, cowboy, scientist, clinician, technical surgeon, pharmaceutical executive, inspirational leader.”

If You’re Not Falling, You’re Not Learning: Margo Shoup’s Story

Learn about Margo Shoup, MD, MBA, FACS, a surgical oncologist in Tacoma, Washington, who brings a fearlessness from her personal life to bear at she continuously strives to improve patient care and make healthcare “a joyful and rewarding experience” for all members of the team.

The Nearly Headless Patient

Learn about a singular case navigated by Jim Conyers, MD, FACS, a retired general surgeon in San Saba, Texas, who recalls the story of when he was awoken while on call to come in and—successfully—aid a patient who came into his hospital “with his head cut off.”

ACS members are interested in meeting with Dr. Hughes to share their experiences are invited to contact bulletin@facs.org.