Faculty
It is important to us that you receive all of the information you need to make the best decision regarding surgery. You are a partner in this relationship and we work very hard to assure that you are aware of all of the risks and benefits associated with your treatment plan, that you can make an informed decision, and that we have answered all of your questions to your satisfaction. We understand that facing an operation can be difficult, causing you and your loved ones anxiety, and it is our commitment to you that we will help you through this process.
It is also important that you have information about our group of surgeons that defines their expertise and describes the high standards they have achieved to demonstrate excellence in the surgical field.
Board Certification
As a patient in our community, it is helpful to know the type of surgical services available in our community. We have provided a list of the Department of Surgery services for your consideration. However, it is equally important to understand the level of training and certification that surgeons acquire to demonstrate a certain standard of excellence. Board Certification by the American Board of Surgery (ABS) is the distinction given to members of the surgical profession to recognize excellence.
All of the general surgeons in our practice are either Board Certified or Board Eligible.
Each has completed five years of training in an accredited surgery residency program, in addition to their four years of medical school training. Once the residency is successfully completed, the individual seeks Board Certification. The surgeon who has attained Certification has met a standard in surgery by fulfilling specified education, evaluation, and examination requirements. Certification indicates the individual has demonstrated that they posses specialized knowledge and skills relating to the diagnosis, preoperative, operative, and post operative management of surgical problems. Certification extends for a period of ten years, after which they must complete a recertification process, including a review of their credentials to determine if the surgeon has:
- continued their surgical education
- is respected by peers, and
- is active in the practice of surgery
Surgeons may also receive certification awards in subspecialty areas of surgery if they choose. This distinction requires them to participate in a Fellowship, a study program that adds an additional one to two years of training, beyond their five years of surgery residency in order to practice as a specialist in a particular field of surgery.
Currently we have individuals in our Department that are Board Certified in Surgical Critical Care, Thoracic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Surgery of the Hand, and Vascular Surgery.
Educators
Our surgeons are leaders in the community, within the University, and at national and international levels within the profession of surgery. They have chosen to teach; a commitment taken very seriously and one that requires they accept the additional responsibility of educating future doctors. As experienced teachers, they must continually stay abreast of current practice standards, apply evidence-based medicine and become proficient in the newest technological advancements. They must be willing to teach others how to continually learn and improve, based on principles of life-long learning. They must also teach young students to be human and relate to each patient in a personal, professional, and compassionate manner.
Our faculty has committed themselves to these values and our team will work to earn your respect. It remains our goal to teach our students these same values.