CHICAGO: E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, an esteemed general surgeon from Columbus, Ohio, was installed for a one-year term as the 103rd President of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Dr. Ellison assumed office Sunday evening, October 16, during the Convocation ceremony that precedes the opening of the 2022 ACS Clinical Congress in San Diego, California. The Clinical Congress is one of the largest educational meetings of surgeons in the world.
Dr. Ellison has chosen the theme of “Surgeons United” for his year of service as ACS President.
“I chose the theme ‘Surgeons United’ for several reasons, but the primary reason was that we have been through a horrific time during the COVID-19 pandemic for the last two years. We learned that when we work together, we are far better than working apart,” said Dr. Ellison.
Dr. Ellison is the Robert M. Zollinger Professor of Surgery Emeritus at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSU COM), Columbus. He previously served as the chair of the department of surgery, the interim dean of the OSU COM and the president and CEO of The Ohio State University Physicians Practice Plan. He recently served as the George W. Paulson MD Medical Heritage Center Scholar-in-Residence for a two-year term.
Bringing together all surgeons
Dr. Ellison said that as ACS President, he would like to help unify all surgical specialties. “The American College of Surgeons is a perfect place to bring our specialties together for a common purpose. The ACS appeals to surgeons of all specialties and strives for gender and racial equality throughout the College,” he said.
In preparing his presidential theme, Dr. Ellison reviewed the history of ACS and learned that since its founding in 1913, surgeons and the ACS have been united around several important values, including quality, integrity, and professionalism
“Our motto at the American College of Surgeons is to heal all with skill and trust. Along with skill, that means that we need to understand our patients so that they trust us. We need to understand how the patients want to be treated,” said Dr. Ellison. “That's one reason we need to diversify our surgical workforce to look like, and be more representative of, our country.”
Dr. Ellison noted that despite differences of opinion within the profession, a surgeon’s perspective is often among the most respected in their communities. He urged surgeons to be a part of the social and political dialogue for the greater good, and that by remaining true to the values of integrity, quality, and professionalism, surgeons can be a unifying force for patients and for society.
Career highlights
Dr. Ellison is a graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin (1976) and has spent nearly his entire career at Ohio State, beginning with a general surgery residency, which he completed in 1983. He entered community practice in Columbus between 1987-1993 before returning to Ohio State. He led the division of general surgery and served for six years as director of the general surgery residency program. He was named chair of the department of surgery in 2000. Over 13 years, he led the expansion of the department and the creation of multidisciplinary basic science and clinical research programs.
While serving as program director in general surgery, Dr. Ellison fostered a culture committed to diversity and inclusion in the program, which remains a hallmark of diversity at Ohio State. With the help of key faculty, he co-led the re-establishment of the master of medical science program, which was originally conceived by Robert M. Zollinger, Sr., MD, FACS, in the 1950s. This program has provided a foundation for Ohio State to successfully prepare the next generation of surgeon scientists.
As Practice Plan CEO and interim dean of the College of Medicine at Ohio State, Dr. Ellison worked with the admissions team to help make The Ohio State University College of Medicine a leading institution for opportunities for underrepresented minority students in medical education. He also helped build the research portfolio and provide a sound economic foundation for the College of Medicine.
ACS service
Dr. Ellison became an ACS Fellow in 1986 and his service to the College has been exemplary throughout his multifaceted career. He was a member of the ACS Board of Governors (1997-2003), President of the ACS Ohio Chapter (2003-2004), Chair of the Advisory Council for General Surgery (2013-2015), Chair, Advisory Council Chairs (2013-2015), and most recently, Chair of the ACS Foundation Board of Directors (2019-2021). He has also been a member of many other ACS committees and workgroups. Dr. Ellison is a member of the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, and his current professional focus is on the education and operative coaching of surgical residents.
While serving as ACS Ohio Chapter President (2003-2004), Dr. Ellison contributed to advocacy efforts in the state to achieve tort reform and, in collaboration with the leadership of Robert E. Falcone, MD, FACS, helped establish a state trauma system. Dr. Ellison has said one of the most rewarding experiences of his career was when he was elected as an ACS representative to the American Board of Surgery (ABS) in 2003.
Honors and awards
Dr. Ellison has served as president of the American Surgical Association (2018-2019) in addition to other leadership positions within other organizations and professional societies. Among his many awards and recognitions are The Ohio State University Distinguished Service Award (2020), The Ohio State University College of Medicine Professor of the Year (1999), and The Ohio State University College of Medicine Landacre Society Honorary Award (1998). In addition, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award (2021) from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Other new ACS Officers
In addition to Dr. Ellison, Mary E. Fallat, MD, FACS, FAAP, was installed during the Convocation as ACS First Vice-President; and Anne G. Rizzo, MD, FACS, as ACS Second Vice-President. Dr. Fallat, who has a long history of service and leadership in pediatric surgery and trauma, is professor of surgery at the University of Louisville and director of surgical quality at Norton Children’s Hospital where she has been in practice for more than 35 years. Dr. Rizzo, whose military service spans 27 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, is a trauma, critical care, and general surgeon, in Sayre, Pennsylvania, at the Guthrie Clinic.
