Dr. Mike Chen, far left, with other UAB faculty at the recent ASPA conference.Mike Chen, M.D., MBA, director of the UAB Division of Pediatric Surgery and the Joseph M. Farley Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery, has been named president-elect of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) for 2026 to 2027. After the year, he will then serve as president from 2027 to 2028.
Chen also serves as the surgeon-in-chief at Children’s of Alabama, where he practices general and thoracic pediatric surgery. He is a professor in the UAB Department of Surgery and specializes in the treatment of anorectal malformation, Hirschsprung’s disease, bowel management, congenital anomalies, thoracic defects and minimal invasive surgery.
APSA is the largest professional organization dedicated to the pediatric surgical specialty in the country and provides pediatric surgeons and associated professionals with training and educational and research opportunities.
“Being named president-elect of APSA is an immense honor,” Chen said. “I hope to have a continued impact by advancing education, discovery, and advocacy in our field to ensure all children can receive the highest quality of surgical care.”
Chen joined the surgical faculty of UAB in 2009. He earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston and then completed his residency and a fellowship in transplantation at the University of Florida. He then completed a fellowship in pediatric surgery at the University of Tennessee. Chen is a member of APSA, the Southern Surgical Association, and the American Surgical Association, as is a fellow of both the American College of Surgeon and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
About the American Pediatric Surgical Association
Founded in 1970, the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) is the country’s largest professional organization dedicated to the specialty of pediatric surgery. APSA provides a community specific to the interests and needs of pediatric surgical care including CME, training, educational opportunities, professional support, scholarships, coaching, and peer support.