You are invited to attend the first-ever UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society Day on Friday, May 19, 2017. Naffziger Day will be a one-day non-CME symposium dedicated to the past, present and future of UCSF surgery, capped off with a celebration dinner honoring the 2017 graduating Chief Residents in General Surgery.
The symposium will consist of a series of talks and panel discussions by Naffziger members from around the U.S., as well as current UCSF faculty and residents. Topics will include the following:
Modernizing surgical training
Surviving and thriving after residency
Mentoring, role models, and new ideals of leadership
Critical thinking and evidence-based practice
Our goal is to bring together multiple generations of UCSF surgeons, from our most distinguished senior alumni to our current trainees. We hope to generate substantive discussion of the history and future of surgical training and practice, while celebrating our common lineage as graduates of the UCSF Department of Surgery.
On the evening of Thursday, May 18th, Karen Deveney and Shelley Marks will kick off our Naffziger festivities by hosting a Women in Surgery event. Please click here for full details and to RSVP.
Cost for Events
Members – $150 per person; this includes lunch at the symposium and dinner at One Market. Guests – $100 per guest you bring to the dinner.
RSVP
If you pay by check (see below), use the RSVP & Payment Form that you should mail in with the check.
Otherwise RVSP by emailing our Executive Secretary, Annette Bronstein at abronst230@aol.com, or calling her directly at: (650) 992-1387. Please indicate who will be attending and the name(s) of any guest(s) you will be bringing.
Payment Options
By Check – Fill out and print the RSVP & Payment Form. Enclose it with your check and mail it to the Society.
PayPal – Choose the “Pay for Events” button on the Naffziger Society Website. Pay the total amount for yourself and any any guest(s) you will be bringing.
Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at Naffziger Day on May 19th!
Best,
Wen T. Shen, M.D., M.A. President UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery Section of Endocrine Surgery, Division of General Surgery University of California San Francisco
Wen T. Shen, M.D., M.A. recently assumed the leadership reins as 67th President of UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society for 2016-2017. Dr. Shen, an endocrine surgeon, specializes in procedures for thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland surgery. He also has a strong interest in the History of Medicine.
Dr. Shen graduated magna cum laude at Harvard College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and science. He received his medical degree at UCSF where he also completed a general surgical residency and research fellowship in endocrine surgery. Later Dr. Shen earned a Master’s degree in the History of Medicine, also at UCSF.
Dr. Shen has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Esther Nusz Achievement Award from the UCSF Department of Surgery, Resident’s Prize from the Pacific Coast Surgical Association, William Osler Medal from the American Association for the History of Medicine, and Rothschild Prize from the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University.
As my term comes to an end, I want to take this opportunity to thank the membership for honoring me as President of the UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society. With the start of a new academic year upon us, Dr. Wen Shen, will be succeeding me as your next President. With that, I’d like to conclude my term with a number of announcements.
Dr. Nancy Ascher Stepping Down as Department Chair
Nancy L. Ascher, M.D., Ph.D. has announced she will be stepping down as Chair of the UCSF Department of Surgery at the end of the 2015-16 academic year, a position she has held since 1999. She will remain as Chair until her successor is named and assumes the leadership mantle. Dr. Ascher, a world-renowned transplant surgeon, is the holder of two Distinguished Professorships: the Isis Distinguished Professor in Transplantation and the Leon Goldman, MD Distinguished Professor in Surgery. Dr. Ascher has also had a distinguished career in public service including appointments to the Presidential Task Force on Organ Transplantation and the Surgeon General’s Task Force on Increasing Donor Organs.
The UCSF Department of Surgery will be hosting a reception honoring Dr. Ascher on Saturday, July 2nd, from 7:00PM to 9:00PM, at the 5th Floor Rooftop Pavilion and Sculpture Garden of the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Numerous tributes and expressions of gratitude have been posted to the on-line “Comment Wall.” We have posted them here for you to read.
UCSF Department of Surgery Chief Resident Dinner
The annual dinner honoring the 2015-16 graduating Chief Residents of the General Surgery Residency Program was held on Friday, June 3, 2016 atop The Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco in the Alexandria Room. After an introduction by the Department Chair, Dr. Nancy Ascher, the Chief Residents were separately introduced by Linda M. Reilly, M.D, Program Director, Lygia Stewart, M.D., Associate Program Director, and Ryutaro Hirose, M.D., Associate Program Director. The Chiefs gave riveting talks about their life experiences and journeys through medical school and residency, culminating with graduation.
Pictured left to right: Joy Walker, MD; Rebecca Maine, MD, MPH; Emily Huang, MD; Shareef Syed, MBChB, MRCS; Lucy Kornblith, MD; Carolyn Seib, MD; and Cerene Jeanty, MD. – Photograph Courtesy of Dr. Lawrence Way
The Naffziger Annual Meeting and Business Lunch was held on Thursday, May 12th at the Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel in San Francisco. The recent nominations by the Executive Council of James Gardner, M.D., Ph.D., to serve as Chief Resident Representative, and Kelly Mahuron, M.D. to serve as Resident Research Representative, were ratified by the membership.
The Society also acknowledged the passing of the following members: John Q. Owsley, MD, 1960; Donald L. Morton, MD, 1966; James A. Bulen, MD, 1955; Fraser M. Keith, MD, Associate Member; Paul H. Trotta, MD, 1958; William L. Weirich, MD, 1958; and Herbert S. Mooney, Jr. MD, 1965. There were reminiscences of their lives and careers followed by a moment of silence.
Pictured left to right: Lawence Way, Carlos A. Pellegrini, Hobart W. Harris, and Guilherme M. Campos – Photo Coutesy of Dr. Laurence Yee
Dinner Honoring Chief Residents
The Chief Resident dinner was held on Friday, May 13th at One Market in San Francisco. To honor their accomplishments and fulfillment of a major milestone in their careers, namely graduation from the UCSF General Surgery Residency Program, each Chief Resident was presented with: 1) An engraved Naffziger Certificate of Lifetime Membership, 2) “The History of the Surgical Service at San Francisco General Hospital” by William Schecter, Robert Lim, George Sheldon, Norman Christensen, and William Blaisdell, and 3) An individually engraved Chief Resident Chair (to be shipped to each resident in the days following the ceremony).
During the dinner, Dr. Haile T. Debas gave a personal and inspiring lecture to the Chief Residents entitled, “The Uncertain Beginnings Of A Surgical Career”. Dr. Debas is a former Chair of the Department of Surgery (1987-2003); former Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine (1993 – 2003); former UCSF Chancellor; Maurice Galante Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Emeritus; Director of the University of California Global Health Institute; and Founding Executive Director of UCSF Global Health Sciences (GHS),
Dr. Debas will always be my hero!
Pictured left to right: W. Slate Wilson; Kim and Haile Debas; and Rupsa Yee – Photo Courtesy of Dr. Laurence Yee
In Closing
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your President for the 2015-16 academic year. I’d also like to again thank my fellow Executive Council members for their support, and the Naffziger staff, Annette Bronstein, Executive Secretary, and Richard Barg, Director of Online Operations, for their tirelessand amazing dedication to the administrative affairs of the Society.
With our Annual Meeting coming up in less than a week, I wanted to again cordially invite you to attend our Naffziger Business Luncheon, Chief Resident Dinner, and Postgraduate Course. Please click here for full details about the events, locations, directions, and information about late registration. Please note that the location of the business luncheon has changed from the 10th Floor to the 2nd Floor in the Lobby Area of Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel.
Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery ————————————-
This year’s Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery, co-hosted with the UCSF Department of Surgery, is a truly outstanding program, and one which Naffziger dues-paying and retired members, as well as UCSF General and Plastic Surgery Residents, may attend without having to pay the course fee. This year’s program will feature renowned experts in the fields of general, gastrointestinal, and laparoscopic surgery; surgical nutrition and metabolism; reconstructive microsurgery; and complex abdominal wall reconstruction. The program will explore the latest evidenced-based studies and emerging consensus of expert opinion. This is also an ideal forum for networking and reconnecting with past Chief Resident graduates.
Late Breaking Announcements
Haile T. Debas, MD to Speak at Naffziger Dinner Honoring Chief Residents
The Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Haile T. Debas, Director of the University of California Global Health Institute and Founding Executive Director of UCSF Global Health Sciences (GHS), will be giving a lecture, entitled “The Uncertain Beginnings Of A Surgical Career”, at the dinner honoring the Chief Residents on Friday, May 13th. Dr. Debas is recognized internationally for his contributions to academic medicine and widely consulted on issues associated with global health. A gastrointestinal surgeon by training, Dr. Debas chaired the UCSF Department of Surgery from 1987-2003, and is the Maurice Galante Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Emeritus at UCSF. In 1997, Dr. Debas was appointed the seventh Chancellor of UCSF, agreeing to accept the appointment for a period of one year. Serving concurrently as both Chancellor and School of Medicine Dean, he played a key role in all of the major initiatives of the campus, including the development of UCSF Stanford Health Care, the campus at Mission Bay, and the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Karen Deveney, MD Serving as President of Pacific Coast Surgical Association
Karen Deveney, M.D. (Class of 1978), Professor of Surgery at the OHSU School of Medicine and Vice-Chair for Education in the OHSU Department of Surgery, currently serves as President of the Pacific Coast Surgical Association (PCSA), having been elected last year for its 2015-16 academic term. Dr. Deveney is the first woman President of the Association. The PCSA was established in 1925 to advance the science and practice of surgery and currently represents California, Oregon, Hawaii, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.
Jessica H. Beard, MD, MPH (Class of 2015), currently a Trauma & Surgical Critical Care Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, was honored as recipient of the American Hernia Society Research Award through which she will study the utility of mosquito nets for hernia repairs. The grant is entitled: “Outcomes After Low Cost Mesh Repair of Inguinal Hernia Performed by Surgeons and Non-Surgeons In Ghana: A Prospective Cohort Study.” Dr. Beard, a former UCSF Global Surgery Scholar, has conducted research centered on inguinal hernia epidemiology, the delivery of safe and effective hernia care in low-resource settings, and surgical task-shifting in sub-Saharan Africa. Her research group is investigating whether mosquito nets could provide a reasonable substitute for mesh to repair hernias in sub-Saharan Africa where mesh repairs are not widely available.
Perspectives
An Historical Journey through a Decade of Loupes Presentations
The presentation of the loupes is an annual tradition in the UCSF Department of Surgery. During the ceremony, each categorical PGY-2 resident is given a pair loupes in honor of a distinguished faculty member or UCSF Naffziger Society member. The theme of this special Grand Rounds event, “Historical Perspectives from the Department of Surgery”, fosters an important bond between UCSF faculty, UCSF Naffziger Society members, and current UCSF general surgery residents.
I invite you to take a journey through the past decade of loupes ceremonies, as reflected in the presentation booklets distributed to the audience at historic Toland Hall. Each booklet includes a wealth of information about recipients, honorees and faculty presenters for that year.
A Priceless Collection of Naffziger Photos from Lawrence W. Way, M.D., Esteemed Surgeon, Naffziger Historian and Avid Photographer
Dr. Laurence W. Way (Class of 1967), Professor Emeritus of General Surgery, is revered by both colleagues and generations of residents and fellows for his unremitting focus on the training of future surgeons. A technical virtuoso in the OR with an extensive research portfolio, the development of the surgical house staff has always among his top priorities. A stern taskmaster on rounds and in the operating room, he sets standards that several generations of UCSF trained surgeons use as a benchmark for performance. Indeed, Dr. Lawrence W. Way is one of the prime surgeons that propelled UCSF to its status as a world-class institution. Dr. Way is also an avid photographer, and has parlayed that expertise to create a stunning slideshow or about 200 Naffziger-related photos comprised of graduating classes and group photos from Naffziger events, spanning nearly five decades.
This slideshow will be shown on a large screen TV next to the registration desk during all three days of the Postgraduate Course. (We will be uploading the slideshow to the website once several few logistical are addressed.)New Executive Council Nominees ——————————
The Naffziger Society is pleased to announce that it has invited two general surgery residents to serve as resident representatives on the Executive Council:
James Gardner, M.D., Ph.D., currently a PGY-4 senior resident, has been nominated to serve as Chief Resident Representative on the Executive Council and Kelly Mahuron, M.D., currently a PGY-3 resident, has been nominated to serve as the Resident Research Representive, each of their terms commening July 1st, the start of the 2015-2016 academic year.In Closing ———-
Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to serve as your President, which has been a rich and rewarding experience. I’d like also thank the other members of Executive Council for their support during my tenure as President, and the Naffziger staff, Annette Bronstein and Richard Barg, for their work and dedication to ensuring that the Society’s operations run smoothly and efficiently.
Sincerely,
Laurence F. See, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Class of 1997 President, 2015-16 UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society
Theodore R. Schrock, M.D., who had a storied career at UCSF, as a medical student, then a surgery resident, faculty member, Department of Surgery Chair and Chief Medical Officer for UCSF Medical Center, recently passed away at age 76.
Theodore (Ted) Schrock was born and raised in Berne, Indiana. He lettered in three sports during high school and was noted for scholarship. He attended Indiana University in Bloomington where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was named “Premed Student of the Year”. His A.B. degree with Highest Honors was obtained after the first year of medical school at UCSF, where, as a senior, Ted was President of the Student Body of the UCSF campus. He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society, and upon graduation in 1964, received the Gold Headed Cane as the student who most exemplified the qualities of the true physician. He served as President of the Gold Headed Cane Society for 12 years.
Dr. Schrock entered residency in surgery at UCSF, spent two years as a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and completed residency in 1971. He was immediately recruited to the surgical faculty at UCSF, where he would spend his entire 33-year career in academic medicine. During this time, Dr. Schrock developed an international reputation for excellence in the surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease, serving as a guest lecturer and visiting professor around the globe. His academic milestones included nearly 200 articles, book chapters and abstracts, membership in sixteen professional societies, editorship of two journals: Perspectives in Colon and Rectal Surgery, and of Colon and Rectal Surgery Outlook, and several distinguished service awards.
In 1993, Dr. Schrock was appointed Interim Chair of UCSF Department of Surgery. In three short years, his effective leadership culminated in his permanent appointment as Chair of the Department in 1996. Two years later, he became Chief Medical Officer for UCSF Medical Center, remaining in that position until his retirement in 2004.
Early in his career, Dr. Schrock was a pioneer in the use of colonoscopy as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for diseases of the colon and rectum, gaining national and international renown for his work. He was a founding member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons and became its President in 1988. He was also a key figure in organizing the First World Congress of Surgical Endoscopy in Berlin in 1988, and was an invited participant to numerous world conferences and congresses on these subjects.
Dr. Schrock was also honored as the Gerald Marks Lecturer by the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. He was the first surgeon to become President of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and was invited to deliver the Distinguished Lecture to the annual meeting of that society in 1993.
Among his numerous roles at UCSF Medical Center and UCSF School of Medicine, Dr. Schrock was Chair of the Credentials Committee, Vice-President of the Medical Staff, and President of the Medical Staff. He also served as President of the UCSF Howard C. Naffziger Surgical Society for its 1987-88 term.
After retirement, he and his wife bred Arabian horses in Montana, later moving to Scottsdale, Arizona where they lived at the time of Ted’s passing.
Celebration of Dr. Schrock’s Life
There will be a celebration of Theodore (Ted) Schrock’s life on October 2, 2016, details of which are available at the family posting on CaringBridge.org. Those wishing to attend should visit the family page (registration required).
Take a journey through the past decade of loupes ceremonies as seen through presentation booklets distributed to the audience at the historic Toland Hall. Each booklet includes a wealth of information about each recipient, honoree and faculty presenter.
Friday, May 13, 2016 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm One Market Restaurant 1 Market St. San Francisco, CA 94105 $100 per person
Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery Naffziger Surgical Society Day
Course Dates – Thursday, May 12, 2016 7:30 a.m. – Saturday May 14, 2016 12:00 p.m. Naffziger Day – Thursday, May 12, 2016 (includes business luncheon and annual meeting)
This years program, co-hosted by the UCSF Department of Surgery and the UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society, focuses on hernia surgery and complex abdominal wall reconstruction. The clinically oriented course represents an outstanding opportunity for the practicing surgeon to gain valuable knowledge and expertise from renowned experts in the fields of general surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, laparoscopic surgery, surgical nutrition and metabolism, reconstructive microsurgery, and complex abdominal wall reconstruction.
The practitioner will learn about the latest developments in the field including the latest evidenced-based studies and expert opinion consensus. The conference will also provide an invaluable social experience to network with colleagues. Attendance at the course is free to all Naffziger Society members.
Course Chairs
Hobart W. Harris, MD, MPH Professor and Chief, Division of General Surgery Vice-Chair, Department of Surgery J. Engelbert Dunphy Endowed Chair in Surgery Director, Infection, Injury & Immunity Lab
Laurence F. Yee, MD Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery, UCSF Director, Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery, California Pacific Medical Center President, UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society
Naffziger Invited Lecturer
Guilherme M. Campos, MD, FACS Division Chair and Professor of Surgery Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine, Program Director, Advanced GI Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship
Robert G. Martindale, MD, PhD Professor of Surgery Chief of Gastrointestinal and General Surgery Medical Director, Hospital Nutritional Service Oregon Health & Science University
The registration fee to attend the Postgraduate Course is waived for Naffziger Society Members. Attendance is free.
If you wish to obtain CME credits, you should pre-register by calling the UCSF CME office at (415) 475-5808. There is a $35.00 charge, payable at the time you call to register.
Those members not requiring CME credits do not need to pre-register
CME Credits
The University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine (UCSF) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
A representative of the UCSF CME Office will be at the conference with a sign-up sheet for members to attest their presence. Proof of CME credit can be obtained by visiting the UCSF CME Claiming Website and following the instructions there for claiming your credits. As noted above, there is a $35.00 charge, payable when you call the CME office to pre-register. CME credits are awarded based on one of the following course codes in the program:
P = Pain Credit
G = Geriatric Credit
T = Trauma Credit
Naffziger Business Lunch & Dinner Honoring Chief Residents
Naffziger Business Lunch – May 12, 2016 @ 12 noon – $50.00 per person Dinner Honoring Chief Residents – May 13, 2016 @ 6:30 p.m. – $100.00 per person
Online Payment: Please visit the Naffziger Society Website and click the Pay for Events button. (If you elect to bring a spouse or guest to the dinner, please add an additional $100.00). At checkout on the PayPal website, please indicate in the notes field the desired event(s) and number of people attending.
Pay by Check : Check should be made payable to the “UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society”. Please indicate the desired event(s) and number of people attending and mail to:
UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society 179 Canterbury Ave. Daly City, CA 94015
Pleaseregister for these events by April 25, 2016 as we must provide a headcount to the venue hosts.
Travel & Lodging
Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel 609 Sutter Street San Francisco, CA 94102 Hotel Phone: 415-673-6672 Reservations: 800-562-7463 Ask for UCSF General Surgery to receive group rate. You can also email reservations@marineclub.com
Rates: $239 Cut-off Date: April 15, 2016 or until room block is filled
It is my distinct honor and privilege to serve as the 66th President of the UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society.
First, I want to take this opportunity to thank my predecessor, James Constant, MD, for his outstanding service as our immediate past President. Under his leadership, the Society implemented electronic billing for the membership, and spearheaded the effort to enhance the Naffziger Society website and modernize its internal operations. This built on the foundation laid by his predecessors, Carlos U. Corvera, M.D., A. Brent Eastman MD and James R. Macho, M.D.
Second, I want to expressly thank those members who supported the Society in 2015 through payment of their annual membership dues. Funds from dues are critical to supporting the mission of the Society including our educational symposiums, annual events and social functions. We truly value your loyalty and financial support.
In 2015, I am pleased to report that many members took advantage of our new electronic billing options, paying their dues by simply clicking a “Pay Now” button embedded in the email containing their e-invoice. Others used the PayPal buttons on our website to pay for events as well as membership dues. Many academic surgeons elected to pay their dues through institutional expense accounts. To make this process easier, we have posted our W-9 form online so academic assistants needing this information can easily access it.
In approximately a week, we will be sending out eInvoices to the membership for 2016 dues, and paper invoices to members without email addresses on file.
Upcoming Events
Annual Business Meeting and Dinner Honoring the Chief Residents
I would like to cordially invite you to attend our upcoming annual meeting, which will take place in San Francisco from May 12th – May 14th at the Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel at the same time as the Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery.
Our business luncheon will take place on Thursday, May 12th from 12:00 – 1:00 pm on the 10th Floor of Marines’ Memorial in the Regimental Room. We are pleased to again welcome Nancy L. Ascher, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery, who will be giving her annual “State of the Department” address to the membership. The dinner honoring the Department’s graduating chief residentswill take place on Friday, May 13, 2016 from 7:00 – 9:30 pm at One Market Restaurant.
RSVP and Payment
To RSVP for these events, please email naffziger.society@gmail.com or use our Contact Form. You may also call the Society directly at (650) 992-1387. Please indicate how many people will be attending: 1) the business lunch and/or 2) the dinner honoring the Chief Residents.
Payment for the event may be made: 1) Via Paypal using the Pay for Events button on the Naffziger Society website 2) By mailing a check to: UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society, 179 Canterbury Ave., Daly City, CA 94015
Please register for these events by April 25, 2016 as we must provide a headcount to the venue hosts. For additional details, please visit the Naffziger Surgical Society Annual Meeting Page.
Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery
This three-day symposium commences on Thursday, May 12, 2015 at 7:30 a.m. and runs through Saturday, May 14, 2016, adjourning at 12:00 p.m. The Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery, co-chaired by Hobart W. Harris, MD, MPH, Professor and Chief of Division of General Surgery at UCSF and myself, features renowned experts in the fields of general, gastrointestinal, and laparoscopic surgery; surgical nutrition and metabolism; reconstructive microsurgery; and complex abdominal wall reconstruction. The program will explore the latest developments in the field including evidenced-based studies and emerging consensus of expert opinion. The conference will also provide an ideal networking forum where you can reconnect with other Naffziger members.
Among the roster of distinguished faculty are: the 2016 Naffziger Invited Lecturer,Guilherme M. Campos, MD, FACS(left), Division Chair and Professor of Surgery at VCU School of Medicine, Naffziger Visiting Professor,Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, FRCSI (Hon.) *(right),*Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at University of Washington, and Postgraduate Course Keynote Speaker, Robert G. Martindale, MD, PhD, (shown at left below) Professor and Chief of Gastrointestinal and General Surgery, and Medical Director of the Hospital Nutritional Service Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).
The three-day conference, with coverage of over fifty topics, is free to all Naffziger Society members through a special arrangement with the University of California, San Francisco. This program represents a tremendous value to our membership, one that would otherwise cost $750.00 to attend.
I want to extend a warm welcome to six new lifetime members from the class of 2015, all of whom have taken positions as clinical fellows: Jessica H. Beard, MD, MPH (UPenn), Jack W. Harbell, MD (UCSF), Sandhya B. Kumar, MD (UCSF), Lawrence B. Oresanya, MD (Temple Univ.), Amanda Sammann, MD, MPH (OHSU), and Cathy J. Tang, MD, MS (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles). Lifetime members are comprised of the graduating Chief Residents from the UCSF General Surgery Residency Program.
In addition, we recently inducted four new Associate Members: Ankit Sarin, MD, MHA, Matthew Y.C. Lin, MD, Catherine Juillard, MD, MPH, and Errol L. Bush, MD. Associate members are comprised of: 1) full-time faculty in the Department of Surgery who have had their appointment for at least three years, and 2) UCSF clinical fellows who have completed at least one-year of training.
Wen T. Shen, M.D. Nominated as Vice-President/President Elect
I am pleased to announce that the Executive Council has nominated Wen T. Shen, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery at UCSF, to be our 67th President. Upon confirmation in May, Dr. Shen will become Vice-President/President Elect, then assume the reigns of the presidency on July 1st. In addition to being an outstanding surgeon, resident mentor and dedicated physician-scientist, Dr. Shen has distinguished himself as a medical historian. The holder of a a masters’ degree in the History of Medicine, he has published articles on the 1942 Coconut Grove Fire in Boston and its impact on burn care, the history of adrenal incidentaloma, and many other thought-provoking topics.
Enhancements to Naffziger Society Website
Over the past three years, we have continued to improve the Naffziger Society website, adding features and discovering new ways for our members to connect with one another. I welcome you to visit the site and view the rich content and features it offers. Our searchable membership directory now includes an entry for each member that displays the year of graduation (for UCSF Chief Residents), the member’s area of practice(s), and a link to the member’s biography. Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to locate an online bio link for every member. To add or update your biography link, or to apprise us of any changes in your contact information, please use our member update form or email us at naffziger.society@gmail.com.
The Society also has a news feed on the website where we post news summaries and notable announcements about our membership. If you would like to suggest a news story or submit an announcement for the website, please use our online form or email the Society. We also recently launched a Naffziger Society Photos Page at Flickr that houses photos of Naffziger events. if you have photos you want us to upload to this page, please email the Society.
Celebration Honoring William P. Schecter, MD
Last December, the UCSF Department of Surgery honored our esteemed colleague, William P. Schechter, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Surgery at UCSF and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH). Dr. Schechter was honored for his illustrious career and myriad accomplishments during a luncheon and academic program at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center, and later at a dinner celebration at AT&T Park in San Francisco, one that included a fireworks display. UCSF has also established the “Trauma Resident of the Year” award in Dr. Schechter’s honor. To read more about the celebration, please view our website news summary.
In April, we will be emailing the membership a very special issue of the Naffziger Society Newsletter that will have a historical look-back at the Department’s Loupes ceremony over the past decade, featuring presentation booklets and a full list of honorees and faculty presenters. Stay tuned!
Ed Chen Pledges Gift for Purchase of Chief Resident Chairs for 2016
Edward P. Chen, MD, a member of the class of 2000, has magnanimously pledged the sum of $5,000.00 for the purchase of ALL Chief Resident Chairs for members of the 2016 graduating class. These chairs are a tangible tribute to the Chief Residents who have made the arduous, but rewarding journey through the UCSF General Surgery Residency Program. Soon after their official induction into the UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society, graduating residents are shipped their Chief Resident Chair.
In a recent letter, Ed told me:
“I am happy to contribute in anyway you need. I would be happy to fund ALL the chairs for the Chiefs or fund ALL the loupes for the second years to be honest. I’m being serious. Also happy to contribute to the general fund, but I know how much those loupes and the chairs meant to me so would be happy to do so.”
Ed also views the gift as a way to bridge the geographical distance between San Francisco, the hub of the UCSF General Surgery Residency Program, and Atlanta, GA, where Dr. Chen is Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine as well as Director of Thoracic Aortic Disease.
On a personal level, I found Ed’s gift so inspiring that I have decided to make a similar pledge for the purchase of ALL Chief Resident Chairs for the graduating class of 2017.
At last years’ business meeting, the general membership confirmed the nominations of Madhulika “Mika” Varma, M.D. and Rita Mukhtar, M.D. as members-at-large, and Jonathan Carter, M.D. as website liaison, to the Naffziger Society Executive Council. The Council also created two new positions and nominees for 2016: Naffziger historian”, Lawrence W. Way, M.D. and “Resident Liaison”, UCSF general surgery resident Bian Wu, M.D.
I am also pleased to report that Annette Bronstein has returned as our Executive Secretary, a position she previously held for over a quarter of a century. Annette is an event planner extraordinaire and has a deep and abiding affection for the membership. The Society has also appointed [Richard N. Barg, JD, MBA](http://top.ucsf.edu/meet-the-team/strategic-development/richard-n-barg,-jd,-mba.aspx) Director of Online Operations. Mr. Barg co-led the effort to develop the Naffziger website with the site’s designer [Colin Fahrion](http://www.pedsurg.ucsf.edu/about-us/staff/colin-fahrion.aspx), and deployed the Society’s new electronic billing system. Mr. Barg will now oversee all online and digital assets of the Society including its website and membership directory.
In Memoriam
Marjorie Stanley Albo – May 22, 1934 – June 25, 2015
It is with sadness that I report the passing of Marjorie Albo. Marjorie “Marge” was the beloved wife of the late Dr. Robert Albo, the well-known bay area surgeon and former team physician for the Oakland Raiders and Golden State Warriors for many years.
Final Words
I hope you will consider visiting San Francisco from May 12th – May 14th and join us for our Naffziger Society Annual Meeting and Postgraduate Course in Hernia Surgery co-hosted with the UCSF Department of Surgery. I believe you will find it an outstanding opportunity for professional development as well as an ideal way to reconnect with former mentors and colleagues.
I encourage your participation in the activities of the Society including playing a future role in leadership and governance. If you have ideas for advancing the Society’s mission, would like to nominate someone to our Executive Council, or want to offer input to improve the functioning of the Society, please email me at naffziger.society@gmail.com.
And, in closing, thank you again for giving me the opportunity to serve as President of this venerable society.
Dr. Schecter joined the UCSF faculty in 1980 as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery. He then served as the Chief of Surgery at the LBJ Tropical Medical Center, Pago Pago, American Samoa (1981-1983) and as a Lecturer in Surgery at the University of Natal, Durban, RSA (1983-1984). Dr. Schecter returned to UCSF in 1984 where he was appointed Chief of Surgery at the San Francisco General Hospital and Vice-Chair of Surgery at UCSF in 1993 serving that capacity until 2008.
The celebration began with a luncheon and scientific session at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center moderated by M. Margaret Knudson, M.D., Professor of Surgery in the UCSF Department of Surgery at Zuckerberg SFGH. This was followed by a dinner celebration at AT&T Park in San Francisco. In honor of Dr. Schecter’s dedication and service to SFGH, UCSF has established the “Trauma Resident of the Year” award.
