On November 8, 2021, the Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons (RAS-ACS) hosted a webinar presented by Michael D. Sarap, MD, FACS.
The webinar is a practical guide for both young surgeons new to a community and established surgeons wanting to expand their influence and service area. The presentation discusses several very simple ways to build good will and relationships in a community, including being involved in public education events, supporting and mentoring students and young adults at all levels of their educational journey, volunteering to do community cancer and other types of health screenings and supporting public service and community service organizations. The presentation also discusses important habits and practices that are proven ways to build professional referrals.
Learning Objectives
- Learn practical things a surgeon can do to foster relationships and elevate their reputation in their community.
- Learn best practices for surgeons to earn the respect and support of their professional referral base.
- Consider the value of contributing to something larger than ourselves and, in doing so, avoid burn out and rekindle the passion that drove each of us to become surgeons.
More about Michael Sarap
Michael Sarap has worked as a General Surgeon in Cambridge, Ohio for 35 years. He graduated from Steubenville High School, Kenyon College and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. His surgical training was completed at Marshall University College of Medicine. He is senior partner in a three-person surgical group providing general, vascular, trauma and endoscopic surgical services for patients in southeastern Ohio. Sarap has been married for 40 years and has a daughter Andrea, a Physician’s Assistant, and a son Michael, a golf professional.
Dr Sarap is an active member of multiple professional organizations. He has served as a Governor of the American College of Surgeons and Editor of the Governors Newsletter and is the past Chair of the ACS Advisory Council on Rural Surgery. He served as President of the ACS Ohio Chapter. He also serves as an Advanced Trauma Life Support Course Instructor. Sarap is Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Cancer Committees and Director of the Breast Care and Colorectal Cancer Teams at his medical center. Dr Sarap is the Commission on Cancer Program State Co-Chair for Ohio. He is a founding member of the nationally recognized local Tina Kiser Cancer Concern Coalition.
Sarap has been the recipient of numerous local, regional and national awards including Teaching Resident of the Year (twice) during his training, local newspaper Person of the Year in 1994, Top Eight Young Physicians in Ohio by the Ohio State Medical Association in 1995, American Cancer Society Volunteer of the Year in 2006, Commission on Cancer Liaison Physician Outstanding Achievement Awards in 2006 and 2009 and the Chamber of Commerce Sidlo Standard of Excellence for Vision, Leadership and Legacy Award in 2008. The American Cancer Society (local unit) honored Dr Sarap with the President’s Award in 2013 and the Excellence in Mission Award (East-Central Division) in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He also received the American College of Surgeons Ohio Chapter Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and the regional Boy Scout organization Distinguished Citizen Award in 2015. He was honored as Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Distinguished Invited Lecturer and Commission on Cancer Outstanding State Chair Awards in 2018.
Dr Sarap has served his community with long-term membership as a trustee on the boards of SE Med, Hospice of Guernsey, County Board of Developmental Disabilities and others while also serving as volunteer clinical faculty for Wright State University Department of Surgery, Marietta College Physician’s Assistant Program and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has authored numerous articles and has spoken at multiple regional and national events on the topics of cancer, trauma, endoscopic treatment of GI bleeding, wound care, leadership and rural surgical issues.
