Renowned surgical oncologist Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, FACS, was installed as the 2026–2027 ACS President at Convocation during Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, DC, succeeding Anton N. Sidawy, MD, MPH, FACS. Dr. Eberlein is the 107th President of the ACS.
During the ceremony, Dr. Eberlein delivered his Presidential Address, centered on the theme of his presidential year, “The House of Surgery—Stronger Together.” The theme reflects a vision of collaboration across specialties, generations, and experiences as surgery navigates rapid changes in policy, technology, and clinical care.
Background and Career Highlights
After earning his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania, Dr. Eberlein completed an internship and residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, as well as two research fellowships at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Eberlein then began practicing surgical oncology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. Over time, he rose to become the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery, chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology, and vice-chair for research in the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
He later became the founding director of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was also the Bixby Professor and chair of the Department of Surgery.
Dr. Eberlein is the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor, director of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, and senior associate dean for cancer programs at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Under his leadership, Siteman Cancer Center has grown into one of the largest National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in the country.
ACS Leadership and Achievements
Dr. Eberlein has been active within the ACS for more than 30 years. He served as Editor-in-Chief of JACS from 2004 to 2025. His improvements to the journal included adding rigorous biostatistical reviews for all manuscripts and affiliating the journal with regional surgical societies nationwide, as well as the Excelsior Surgical Society.
Dr. Eberlein also has held numerous leadership roles within the College. He was a member of the Board of Governors and served as Chair of the Board of Regents. His committee service included chairing the Committee on Research and Education and serving as Vice-Chair of the Surgical Forum Committee.
Among his honors are the Rodney E. and Thomas G. Sheen Award from the New Jersey Chapter, recognizing his service, and the Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Award, honoring his contributions to science.
An introductory video with more information about Dr. Eberlein is available at facs.org.
Vice-Presidents
First Vice-President Sharon M. Henry, MD, FACS, and Second Vice-President Robert P. Sticca, MD, FACS, also were installed during Convocation.
A trauma surgeon, Dr. Henry is the Anne Scalea Professor of Trauma Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Within the ACS, her service includes more than 20 years with the Committee on Trauma (COT). She has been a course director for Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS®) for many years, helping introduce the course in Slovenia, Iraq, Haiti, and Bangladesh and serving on the steering committee for the 11th edition (released in 2025). For this work, she received the COT Meritorious Service Award in 2009.
Dr. Sticca is an emeritus professor of surgery at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in Grand Forks, where he helped develop and lead the only surgical residency program in the state. The program helps meet the need for surgical care in the Great Plains and serves as a model for rural care nationally. A past member of the ACS Board of Governors and Advisory Council for Rural Surgery, Dr. Sticca also contributed to the Commission on Cancer and the ATLS program. A surgical oncologist and general surgeon by training, he has championed the use of opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy to prevent ovarian cancer.
