Newswise — San Diego – Innovative lung surgeon G. Alexander Patterson, MD, FRCSC is the new Editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, one of the most globally respected peer-reviewed journals in cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Patterson was elected today during the 51st Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
“I have tremendous respect for all four previous Editors who worked tirelessly over the past 50 years to make The Annals what it is today, and I’m absolutely honored and excited to take over as Editor,” said Dr. Patterson, who is the Joseph C. Bancroft Professor of Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. “I believe The Annals can be the preeminent journal for cardiothoracic surgeons, and I look forward to leading the team that will continue to grow and improve the reputation of the journal.”
In one of his first initiatives as Editor, Dr. Patterson said he hopes to better align the activities of the journal to those of STS and, specifically, the STS National Database, which is the gold standard for a medical specialty clinical outcomes database. “I think there are ways in which we could parlay the Database activity into feature articles or reports that would augment the science included in the journal and expand the type of information we can provide to surgeons,” said Dr. Patterson. He also plans to increase the multimedia components of the journal, including podcasts, narrated PowerPoint slides, and interactive learning opportunities.
“STS is a leader in education and innovation in the field of cardiothoracic surgery and there is much that the journal can do to take advantage of existing resources,” said Dr. Patterson. “I believe the journal can build upon the activities of the Society and develop content that reaches beyond the scientific research that is its foundation.”
In addition to electing a new Editor, the editorial staff for The Annals will now be located at STS headquarters in Chicago. Under Immediate Past Editor L. Henry Edmunds, MD, the editorial staff was located at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
While serving as Editor, Dr. Patterson will continue his clinical duties at Washington University, where he specializes in lung transplantation and lung surgery for cancer and emphysema. Born in Canada, he held a number of positions at the University of Toronto before moving to St. Louis in 1991. He also served as President of the Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Patterson is also a Past President of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.
Dr. Patterson’s editorial experience includes 16 years with The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, including 12 years in which he served as Section Editor for General Thoracic Surgery. He also was the first Thoracic Deputy Editor of the American Journal of Transplantation, Associate Editor of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, and a member of the Transplantation Proceedings Editorial Board. He has more than 400 published research papers and was the Senior Editor for the textbook Pearson’s Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, third edition.
“I have devoted my entire career to scholarship and academic productivity as a means to foster the development of thoracic surgery,” Dr. Patterson said. “To become Editor of one of the major journals in the field is an extension of what I’ve worked for over my whole career.”
The new managing editor for The Annals is Kavitha Reinhold, MA, who previously worked for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education where she served as the Associate Managing Editor for the Journal of Graduate Medical Education and helped start the organization’s editorial office.
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To speak with Dr. Patterson, contact Cassie McNulty at 312-202-5865 or [email protected].
Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 6,900 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery is the official journal of STS and the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association.
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