Newswise — BOSTON: Ronald V. Maier, MD, FACS, the Jane and Donald D. Trunkey Endowed Chair in Trauma Surgery, vice-chairman, department of surgery, and professor of surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, was installed as the 99th President of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during the Convocation ceremony that preceded the opening of the annual ACS Clinical Congress, which is one of the largest international surgical meetings in the world.
Dr. Maier is highly esteemed for his contributions to trauma surgery, surgical research, and surgical education. He has dedicated his surgical career to improving the outcome of the injured and critically ill surgical patient through his research in molecular and cell biology and the development and improvement of trauma systems and trauma care delivery. In addition to his positions at the University of Washington, he is director of the Northwest Regional Trauma Center, surgeon-in-chief, and co-director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle. Dr. Maier is also associate medical staff at the University of Washington Medical Center and at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
A Fellow of the College since 1984, Dr. Maier served as the First Vice-President of the ACS (2015−2016). He has played an active role on several key committees, most notably the Committee on Trauma (COT). He was Washington State Chair for the COT (1987−1990) and Chair of Region X (1990−1996). He chaired the COT’s Ad Hoc Committee on Prevention (1992-2002). He also has served on the COT Performance Improvement Committee, Trauma System Committee, Regional Committee Organization, and Publications Committee. Dr. Maier currently serves on the Program Committee as a Consultant (2007−present), and has also served as Vice-Chair (2004−2005), and Member (2001−2007). In addition, he served on the Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education, the Committee for the Forum on Fundamental Surgical Problems, and the Member Services Liaison Committee. At present, Dr. Maier is a member of the Board of American College of Surgeons Professional Association political action committee (ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC) and the ACS Health Policy and Advocacy Group.
Dr. Maier has held leadership positions in a number of other professional associations, having served as president of the Society of University Surgeons, Shock Society, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Surgical Infection Society, International Surgical Society, International Association of Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care, the Halstead Society, the North American Trauma Association, and immediate past-president of the American Surgical Association. He is a past member of the Board of Directors (1996−2004) and chair (2003−2004) of the American Board of Surgery.
Among his many honors, Dr. Maier is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, department of surgery, University of Washington; Lifetime Achievement Award in Trauma Resuscitation, American Heart Association; Dr. Rodman E. Sheen and Thomas G. Sheen Award for outstanding contributions to the medical profession; Lifetime Service Award, International Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care; the Scientific Achievement Award from the Shock Society; the Flance-Karl Award, for seminal contributions in basic laboratory research with clinical surgery applications, from the American Surgical Association; the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; the Medal for Lifetime Achievement from the International Society of Surgery/Societe Internationale de Chirurigie; and the Surgeon’s Award for Service to Safety, National Safety Council. He delivered both the Fitts Oration in Trauma at the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma in 2017 and the Scudder Oration in Trauma at the ACS Clinical Congress in 2013. Dr. Maier is also a member of the Gold Humanism Honors Society, and has been an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 1995 for his research on molecular signaling during proinflammatory innate immunity.
Dr. Maier serves on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals, including World Journal of Surgery, World Journal of Emergency Surgery, Injury, and European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. He is associate editor of SHOCK and the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Since 1995, Dr. Maier has been a visiting professor or named lecturer on 41 occasions, and has delivered more than 450 lectures on trauma, critical care medicine and surgical immunology. Dr. Maier has been funded continuously by the NIH since 1981, totaling more than $20 million, and has been a member and Chair of the NIH Surgery, Anesthesiology and Trauma Study Section.
Dr. Maier graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame, Ind., in 1969. Dr. Maier earned his medical degree at Duke University, Durham, N.C., in 1973. His internship in surgery was conducted at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Southwestern Medical School, University of Texas, Dallas. Dr. Maier’s surgical residency was performed at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he was chief resident in general surgery at that institution (1977−1978). He did a research fellowship in immunopathology (1978−1980) and was a research associate in immunopathology (1980−1981) at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, Calif.
During his presidential address, “For Our Patients,” Dr. Maier urged the College’s Initiates to never lose their zeal and commitment to their patients. He encouraged them to be involved in the surgical profession and the College as they advocate for patients and their access to care. He told them to be leaders at work and in their communities, to educate elected officials, and to support those who support optimal care for all patients.
Dr. Maier is married to his “best friend,” Lauren, and together they have two children: John Michael of Los Angeles and Anna Christine of Seattle. They have a home on Lake Washington, where they enjoy the water, snow skiing and bike riding. Dr. Maier also enjoys playing rugby and soccer. Dr. Maier and Lauren are avid travelers and are looking forward to representing the College in the coming year both nationally and internationally.
Other new ACS Officers installed during the Convocation were First Vice-President Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS, and Second Vice-President-Elect Philip R. Caropreso, MD, FACS. Dr. Weissler is an otolaryngologist from Chapel Hill, N.C., and is the Joseph P. Riddle Distinguished Professor, department of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, and chief, division of head and neck surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. Dr. Caropreso is a general surgeon from Keokuk, Iowa, and is adjunct clinical professor of surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City.
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About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 80,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org.
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