The Effect of the COVID Surge on the Educational Mission of US Healthcare Systems

The Effect of the COVID Surge on the Educational Mission of US Healthcare Systems is moderated by Mohsen M. Shabahang, MD, PhD, FACS, and features the following panelists: Wayne A. I. Frederick, MD, MBA, FACS; Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), DFSVS; and Stephen Evans, MD, FACS. Our esteemed panel of leaders from three healthcare systems discussed the many challenges and opportunities the COVID-19 pandemic has posed for healthcare systems, with a focus on the overall educational mission of these systems. Following introductory remarks by the speakers, audience members were invited to participate in an active discussion.

This Grand Rounds offering was organized by the Academy's Subcommittee on Novel Teaching and Assessment Methods and Educational Resources, as part of the Division of Education's efforts to address challenges in surgery resident training during the COVID-19 pandemic and to harness opportunities to transform surgery training for the future.

This  Virtual Grand Rounds recording is designated for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Wayne A. I. Frederick, MD, MBA, FACS, was appointed the 17th president of Howard University in 2014. He previously served as provost and chief academic officer.  Most recently, the Howard University Board of Trustees selected Dr. Frederick to serve as the distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery.

Dr. Frederick has advanced Howard University's commitment to student opportunity, academic innovation, public service, and fiscal stability. He has overseen a series of reform efforts, including the expansion of academic offerings, establishing innovative programs to support student success, and the modernization of university facilities.

Dr. Frederick received his Bachelor of Science and his medical degree from Howard University.  Following his postdoctoral research and surgical oncology fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Frederick began his academic career as associate director of the cancer center at the University of Connecticut. Upon his return to Howard University, his academic positions included associate dean in the College of Medicine, division chief in the department of surgery, director of the cancer center, and deputy provost for health sciences. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Howard University's School of Business in 2011.

Dr. Frederick is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts, and editorials and is a widely recognized expert on disparities in health care and medical education. His medical research focuses on narrowing racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in cancer-care outcomes, especially pertaining to gastrointestinal cancers.

Julie A. Freischlag, MD, FACS, FRCSEd(Hon), DFSVS, is the chief executive officer of Wake Forest Baptist Health, dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine, and chief academic officer of Atrium Health Enterprise. Consistently ranked among the nation's top 50 medical centers, Wake Forest Baptist includes a growing, multi-hospital health system and physician network, the state-of-the-art and highly competitive Wake Forest School of Medicine, and the school's technology transfer and commercialization arm, Wake Forest Innovations. As CEO and dean, she has the overall responsibility for the health system's clinical, academic and innovation enterprises and its annual operating budget of $3 billion. Previously, Freischlag was vice-chancellor for Human Health Sciences and dean of the School of Medicine at UC Davis.

Dr. Freischlag has helped to drive change in academic medicine with a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. For more than 15 years, she has led education and training programs at top medical schools in her role as professor and chair of surgery and vascular surgery departments. Dr. Freischlag also has more than 30 years of experience leading patient-care services as chief of surgery or vascular surgery at nationally ranked hospitals. She served as professor, chair of the surgery department and surgeon-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. She led initiatives to expand research, add specialty clinical services, improve patient-centered care and patient safety, redesign the surgical training program and enhance academic career paths for faculty.

Her national leadership experience includes serving as a former governor and secretary of the Board of Governors and a Regent and Past Chair of the Board of Regents of the ACS. She is the past-president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation, and past-president of the Association of VA Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Chairs. Dr. Freischlag was the editor of JAMA Surgery for 10 years (2005-2014) and is currently a member of the JAMA Oversight Committee and the editorial boards of the Annals of Vascular Surgery, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, British Journal of Surgery, and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Freischlag is the 2021-2022 President of the ACS and also serves on the Council of Deans of the Association for American Medical Colleges, the National Institute of Health Clinical Center Research Hospital Board, Aga Khan University Board of Trustees and as chair of the Health Services Committee, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Board of Visitors, and the University of Illinois Health Advisory Council.

Stephen R.T. Evans, MD, FACS, is the executive vice president, Medical Affairs, and chief medical officer for MedStar Health. Dr. Evans brings strong strategic, operational. and medical leadership to MedStar Health, a $6.1 billion, multi-jurisdictional health system comprised of 10 hospitals and 20 other health-related businesses across Maryland and the Washington, DC, region. He oversees the medical education, research, clinical quality, and risk management initiatives for the system, as well as the academic partnership with Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Health's other academic affiliations.

Three years prior, Dr. Evans served as vice president of Medical Affairs at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. In 1990, he joined MedStar Georgetown University as an assistant professor of surgery. Dr. Evans rose through the ranks of hospital leadership, serving as chair of the department of surgery for more than seven years until 2009 when he was promoted to vice president of Medical Affairs.

Dr. Evans received his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine. He completed residencies in both general surgery and obstetrics and gynecology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and a fellowship at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a specialist in general surgery, Dr. Evans is certified by the American Board of Surgery, and previously held board certifications from the American Board of Surgical Critical Care, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology Critical Care.

As previous director of the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Evans helps the organization to set and regulate standards of practice and certifications for surgeons across America. Dr. Evans became the chair for the American Board of Surgery in June 2015. Additionally, Dr. Evans is an elected member of several distinguished national surgical societies including the American Surgical Association.

Moderated by

The session is moderated by Mohsen Shabahang, MD, PhD, FACS, Chair of the Subcommittee on Novel Teaching and Assessment Methods and Educational Resources for the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. Dr. Shabahang is the VP/CMO of the Wellspan Surgery Service Line, York, PA. Dr. Shabahang joined Wellspan in summer 2021.

Welcome remarks are given by Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, Director of the ACS Division of Education and Co-Chair, Steering Committee of the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.