Kirby I Bland, M.D., former chair of the UAB Department of Surgery and professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, is among a group of 91 esteemed surgeons – including newly inducted Associate Member and Assistant Professor of Surgery at UAB Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP – selected into membership or associate membership in the new American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™.
Dr. Kirby I. Bland
Bland was admitted in the inaugural group of members of this prestigious Academy at its first induction ceremony on Oct. 3 at the John B. Murphy Memorial auditorium in Chicago.
Bland is a distinguished surgical educator whose experience in the field includes surgical oncology and general surgery, as well as research related to targeted therapies for breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer and melanoma, and chemoprevention in breast cancer.
His other awards received as a surgical educator include the Dean's Teaching Award, which he received from the University of Florida in 1990; the Lester R. Dragstedt Physician-Scientist Teaching Award, which he received from the University of Florida in 1986 and in 1993; the Department of Surgery Teaching Award, which he received from Brown University in 1995 and 1996; the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award and Presidential Medal, which he received from UAB in 2014 and 2016, respectively; and many others.
“Dr. Bland has been a transformative figure in growing and enhancing an academic culture at UAB through his leadership and faculty support that values great clinical care, scholarship and extramural funding,” Selwyn Vickers, M.D., senior vice president for medicine and dean of the UAB School of Medicine, said. “He is an outstanding physician, clinician scientist and educator. I sincerely thank him for his leadership in the Department of Surgery and the School of Medicine, and I’m sure he’ll continue to contribute to UAB in the next phase of his distinguished career.”
Developed under the auspices of the ACS Division of Education, the Academy recognizes surgeon educators who have devoted their careers to surgical education. Individuals are selected as Members or Associate Members following stringent peer review. The Academy’s mission is to play a leadership role in advancing the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties, promoting the highest achievements in the lifetimes of surgeons. Academy membership carries an obligation for commitment to the Academy’s goals, which are to identify, recognize, and recruit innovators and thought leaders committed to advancing lifelong surgical education; translate innovation into actions; offer mentorship to surgeon educators; foster exchange of creative ideas; disseminate advances in surgical education; and positively impact the quality of surgical care and patient safety.
In addition to supporting the mission and goals of the Academy, members must actively participate in Academy programs and activities.
“Moving forward, we plan to pursue the Academy’s goals with great enthusiasm,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, M.D., FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, director of the ACS Division of Education and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy. “To start, small groups of Members and Associate Members will be assembled to work on addressing these goals. We also plan to publish an annual publication, Proceedings of the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators that will be launched in late 2019.”
“With highest quality patient care through education being the paramount theme of the American College of Surgeons, the establishment of the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators is an important new chapter for the ACS, the world's largest organization for surgeons," explained L.D.Britt, M.D., MPH, DSc(Hon), FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon), FRCS(Glasg)(Hon), past president of the ACS, and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy.
“This is an important time in medicine for such an accomplished and innovative group of surgeon educators to come together. Underscoring the critical importance of surgical education in a changing health care environment will be one major focus for the work of the Academy,” said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, M.D., FACS. “We congratulate and welcome all members and associate members of the inaugural class.”
Academy membership is conferred in two categories, Member and Associate Member. View the full listing of all surgeons honored with selection into the Academy here.
[Note: This release was provided by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™.]