News & Events

Dear Naffziger Society Members,

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.

Click here to view the full speaker roster with links to each of their biographies. For a complete listing of all conference topics, click here. For all details on the conference including the full course outline, please visit the UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society Annual Meeting Page.

News & Announcements

New Lifetime and Associate Members

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.

2016 Loupes Ceremony

On August 5, 2015, the Department of Surgery held its annual Loupes Ceremony for 2nd Year (PGY-2) categorical residents at Toland Hall on the UCSF Parnassus Heights campus. The following residents received the ceremonial loupes: Jhoanne Bautista, M.D., Ph.D., Greg Haro, M.D., Quoc-Hung Nguyen, M.D., Juliet Okoroh, M.D., James Ross, M.D., Oren Shaked, M.D., Casey Ward, M.D., Clara Gomez-Sanchez, M.D., Hunter Oliver-Allen, M.D., and Audrey Nguyen, M.D.

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.

Newly Minted Attending Surgeons

A number of Chief Residents that graduated in the past several years have now completed their fellowship training and become attending surgeons. Those members include: Kenneth Loh, M.D. (Kaiser Permanente, SF), Aaron Joseph Ahearn, M.D., Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, UMass), Rita Mukhtar, MD (Kaiser Permanente, SF), Susan Lee Char, MD (CPMC – SF), Farzad Alemi, MD (Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, MI), Carter K. Lebares, MD (UCSF), and Ian Brown, M.D., Ph.D (UC Davis).

Executive Council Update

Current Members

The Executive Council includes, in addition to myself, Secretary-Treasurer Shelley A. Marks, M.D., at-large members Michelle L. Li, M.D., Wen T. Shen, M.D. and Crystine M. Lee M.D., and the past three Presidents, James Constant, MD, Carlos U. Corvera, M.D., and A. Brent Eastman MD.

New Members

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.

Sincerely,

Laurence F. Yee, MD, FACS, FASCRS
President
UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society

Dear Naffziger Surgical Society Members:

It remains as my honor and privilege to serve as your 65th Naffziger Society President for 2014-15. I wanted to update you on our upcoming annual events and make some other announcements attendant to our latest Executive Council meeting in January:

Postgraduate Course in Breast & Endocrine Surgery

It is my pleasure to invite you to San Francisco for the Postgraduate Course in Breast & Endocrine Surgery,co-chaired by Dr. Quan-Yang Duh and Dr. Laura Esserman,and hosted by the UCSF Department of Surgery. This outstanding program is held in conjunction with Naffziger Day at the Marines’ Memorial Club on March 6-7th.

I have invited Dr. Gerard Doherty as the Naffziger Visiting Professor and UCSF Endocrine Surgery has invited Dr. Nancy Perrier from the MD Anderson Cancer Center. I am delighted to report both of our invited speakers have accepted. All members are cordially invited to attend our March 6th lunch business meeting at Marine’s Memorial, and our March 6th dinner meeting at One Market Restaurant where we will recognize both the 2015-16 UCSF Chief Residents and our new society members.

Registration for Course

There is no charge for attending the Postgraduate Course itself. Attendance is complementary. However, if CME Credit is required, there is a $35.00 charge.

Note online registration is not available for Naffziger members. Instead, please register either by calling the CME office at 415-475-5808 or registering at the conference with Courtney Flookes, the Post-Graduate course coordinator.

Cost for Business Lunch and Naffziger Dinner

For your convenience, you may now pay for these events online by clicking the PayPal Pay for Events button on our website. The cost for the lunch on March 6th is $50.00 and $100.00 for the dinner that evening for a total of $150.00. If you elect to bring a spouse or guest to the dinner, please add an additional $100.00. PayPal will give you the option at checkout to attach a note indicating which events you are paying for and whether you will be bringing a guest. Click here if you would like to pay for these events using PayPal. You may also mail us a check at the address listed below.

Membership Dues Support the Naffziger Society’s Mission

We truly value your support and loyalty through payment of membership dues. These funds are critical to supporting the mission of the Society including our educational symposiums, annual events and social functions. For those of you who have paid this past year’s membership dues, Thank You!

If you have not yet paid your 2014 dues for the academic year 2014-2015, please consider doing so today by clicking the PayPal “Pay Membership Dues“ button on our website. Click here if you would like to pay these dues now. You may also, of course, send us a check for $200.00 made payable to the “UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society”. Please mail the check to:

UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society
P.O. Box 3052
Berkeley, CA 94703

Since we are a 501(c)(3) registered organization, your membership dues should be tax deductible.

New Online Billing and Payments System

I am also pleased to tell you about our new and modern system for billing and payment of membership fees. We have worked hard to make payment of dues easy and convenient. Members with valid email addresses on file will be emailed electronic invoices for membership dues for the 2015-2016 academic year. For the first time, you may pay your dues directly from your electronic invoice by clicking the “View Pledge Now” button within the email. This will take you to a secure website with a “Pay Now” button operated by “Intuit Payment Processing”, a well-established and highly respected name in the field. You payment will be instantly credited to your membership account and you will receive a payment confirmation.

Because we are in a year of transition from a purely paper-based system, we will also be mailing paper bills to the membership. We will, of course, endeavor to avoid sending you a paper bill if you have already paid your 2015-2016 dues electronically.

Supporting the Orlo Clark Lectureship in Endocrine Surgery

Dr. Quan Duh has written an accompanying letter to the membership providing additional details on the outstanding didactic program for this years’ post-graduate course, and further requesting your support of The Orlo Clark Lectureship in Endocrine Surgery. Dr. Clark is recognized as one of the fathers of modern American endocrine surgery and is world-renowned in the field. Please click here to read Dr. Duh’s letter.

In Closing

Finally, we appreciate the efforts of members to update the Society on their latest contact information. During the past year, we have made significant strides in cleaning up our records and bringing the society forward into the digital age. As a reminder, you can update your contact information at any time by using the contact form on our website or by emailing us directly at naffziger.society@gmail.com.

I look forward to seeing you in person on March 6th and 7th for several days of learning and fellowship. Please feel free to to reach out to me or any council member regarding any issue you would like addressed or if you have ideas for improving the Society.

Sincerely,

James Constant, MD
President, UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society

Dear Naffziger Surgical Society Members:

It is my honor and privilege to serve as your 65th President for 2014-15. Our Executive Council met in September and I would like to summarize for you some important announcements including new nominations to the executive council and upcoming events.

Announcements

• Executive Secretary Annette Bronstein has retired after many years of service. The Naffziger Society wishes to express its gratitude for her service.
• Our new Executive Secretary is Angie Hirano Shin. Many of you know Angie from her outstanding work as Manager of the UCSF Department of Surgery Education Office. Recently Angie returned to California from Hawaii and the Society is very fortunate to have her.

Nominations by Executive Council

The council has nominated Dr. Laurence Yee as Vice-President for 2014-15. After confirmation at our annual meeting in March 2015, Dr. Yee will become Vice-President/President-Elect and then President for the 2015-16 term.

The council has nominated Dr. Mika Varma as a member-at-large

The council has nominated Dr. Rita Mukhtar as a member-at-large.

The council has nominated Dr. Jonathan Carter as website liaison.

Current Executive Council

In addition to myself, the Executive Council, is comprised of Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Shelley Marks; at-large members Dr. Crystine Lee, Dr. Michelle Li, Dr. Wen Shen; and immediate past-Presidents Dr. Carlos Corvera, Dr. Brent Eastman, and Dr. Jim Macho.

Website Updates

• I encourage you to visit our website. We have made numerous improvements to the site including a new searchable membership directory.
• In the near future, we will add the ability to pay membership dues on the site by clicking a PayPal button.

New Contact Info

You may reach us at our new address, via email, phone or fax:

UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society
P.O. Box 3052
Berkeley, CA 94703
naffziger.society@gmail.com
(415) 496-5572
(415) 325-4601 (Fax)

Support the Naffziger Society

Please support your society by ensuring your annual membership dues and contact information are current. Please use our contact us form or email us at naffziger.society@gmail.com with any changes.

Fall Events

Memorial Service for Dr. Thomas Russell
Wednesday, October 29 – 6:30 – 7:30 pm

The American College of Surgeons will be hosting a “Celebration of Life” service for Dr. Thomas R. Russell, our friend and past Naffziger President (1991-92). The ACS has also created a wonderful tribute to Dr. Russell on its website.

The service will take place at:

Moscone Center North
747 Howard St., San Francisco, CA, 94103
Room 130-131

Naffziger Reception & Cocktail Hour
Wednesday, October 29, 2014 – 7:30 – 10:30 pm

In conjunction with the ACS Clinical Congress, the Naffziger Society will be hosting a reception for our members as well as surgical residents at UCSF. The event will be held at:

Hotel Zetta VIP Playroom – Map and Directions
55 5th St.
San Francisco

2015 Events

UCSF Post-Graduate Course in General Surgery / Naffziger Day

March 6, 2015

• Naffziger lecture
• Business meeting
• Dinner

USCF Department of Surgery Annual Surgical Loupes Ceremony

August, 2015

The Society will present and sponsor a resident each year in honor of Dr. Howard Naffziger.

Executive Council Meeting

The next Executive council meeting will be held in January, 2015. Feel free to to reach out to me or any council member regarding any issue you would like addressed.

Sincerely,

James Constant, MD
President
UCSF Naffziger Surgical Society