Dr. Beth Sutton Is ACS President-Elect

An esteemed general surgeon in private practice, Beth H. Sutton, MD, FACS, was elected President-Elect of the American College of Surgeons during the Annual Business Meeting of Members yesterday. Nancy L. Gantt, MD, FACS, and Vice-President-Elect, Dennis H. Kraus, MD, FACS, also were elected as First Vice-President-Elect and Second Vice-President-Elect, respectively.

When Dr. Sutton was a young girl, her great-aunt gifted her a book about how the human body worked, which included detailed pictures and descriptions. After that, she sought out books about nurses and doctors, especially biographies. With her interest growing, Dr. Sutton suspected that she would pursue a career in medicine, but it wasn’t until after she viewed a case in the operating room as a medical student that she knew she was going to be a surgeon.

Dr. Sutton, who practices in Wichita Falls, Texas, earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and completed her residency at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas.

An ACS Fellow since 1984, Dr. Sutton has held several leadership roles within the College. She was a member of the Board of Regents from 2012-2021 and is a Past-Chair. She also was a member of the Board of Governors Executive Committee from 2008 to 2010, and a Governor-at-Large for the North Texas Chapter from 2004 to 2010.

Dr. Sutton is currently serving or has served on several ACS committees, including the Committee on Healthcare Disparities, Committee on Professional Opportunities for Senior Members, Advisory Council for General Surgery, Committee on Transition to Practice (Mastery in General Surgery), and Committee on Preceptorship for Practicing Surgeons. In addition, she is a faculty member for the ACS Surgeons as Leaders course.

Beyond her roles with the College, Dr. Sutton is an American Board of Surgery Director, a past-president of the Texas Surgical Society, and a past-president of the Association of Women Surgeons, as well as a member of several other healthcare organizations. She also is listed among the Best Doctors in America (1996–present).