The Role of Coaching in Surgical Education Leadership

This virtual Grand Rounds, organized by the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, will discuss the science of coaching and relate the concepts to skills needed in leadership in Surgical Education.

Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, FRCSI (Hon), FRCS (Hon), FRSCEd (Hon), FWACS (Hon), MAMSE

Dr. Pellegrini is a surgeon with expertise in surgical education, simulation, professionalism, and leadership. He is a pioneer in the development of technological surgical advancements and a world leader in minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery. The son of two physicians, Dr. Pellegrini spent his childhood years in rural Argentina. He attended the University of Rosario Medical School and remained there for surgical training until 1975 when he emigrated to the U.S. and completed a second surgical residency at the University of Chicago. In 1979, he was appointed to the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco. He remained there until 1993 when he moved to the University of Washington in Seattle, WA to become Chair of the Department of Surgery. In his 23 years as department chair, he assumed many leadership roles in the highest decision-making bodies across UW Medicine and chaired many committees overseeing a vast array of work, including continuous professionalism improvement, diversity, and multidisciplinary practices.

In 2015, Dr. Pellegrini was appointed as the first Chief Medical Officer of UW Medicine and as Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Washington to provide senior leadership for clinical practice standards across all UW Medicine sites of practice, a position he held until December 2018. As he retired from UW Medicine Dr. Pellegrini decided to apply his experience of more than 4 decades as a mentor, teacher, advisor and trusted colleague, to help healthcare providers develop to their full potential, with particular emphasis on leadership skills. To that end, he obtained additional training at SeattleCoach and, after obtaining certification from the International Coach Federation, became an executive coach who focuses on coaching/mentoring healthcare executives.

Dr. Pellegrini is a Past-President of the ACS and the American Surgical Association. He participates in the highest leadership roles in regional, national, and international surgical societies. His bibliography lists more than 400 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, editorials, and books. He is the current chair of the board of The Joint Commission.

Hilary Sanfey, MB, BCh, FACS, FRCSI (Hon), FRCSEd (Hon), MAMSE

Dr. Sanfey is Emeritus Professor of Surgery at Southern Illinois University. She graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, underwent surgical training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and completed fellowships at Johns Hopkins University and at the University of Virginia (UVA). As consultant surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh she was a member of the team that performed the first liver transplant in Scotland. Dr. Sanfey has a Master’s Degree in Health Professions Education and is a founder member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeons. She was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of tenured Professor of Surgery at UVA and is a recipient of the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) Nina Starr Braunwald Award and the ACS Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Sanfey is a past president of AWS and former ACS First Vice-president, a member of the American Surgical Association, an honorary fellow of the RCSI and a Fellow ad hominem of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Currently, she is the Chair of the Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine and Co–chair of the ACS Certificate in Applied Surgical Education Leadership program.

Maura Sullivan, MSN, PhD

Dr. Maura Sullivan is a Professor of Clinical Surgery (Educational Scholar) at the University of Southern California. She is the Associate Dean for Simulation Education in the Keck School of Medicine, The Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Surgery and the Executive Director for the Surgical Simulation and Education Center. Her research and academic interests include Cognitive-Task-Analysis, the development of expertise, technical skills training, faculty development and curriculum development.

Dr. Sullivan obtained her undergraduate degree in nursing from Fairfield University, her Master of Science in nursing/critical care from the University of California, San Francisco, and her PhD in Educational Psychology from the Rossier School of Education at USC. She is actively involved in the Association of Surgical Education (ASE) and is the Past Director of the Surgical Education Research Fellowship, a member of the Board of Directors, a member of the grants review committee, Center for Excellence in Surgical Education, Research and Training (CESERT) and on the Editorial Board for Global Surgical Education- Journal of the ASE. She is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Master Educator Award from the ASE. In addition, she is on the editorial board for the Journal of Surgical Education. She is actively involved in the American College of Surgeons where she holds an appointment as an ATLS Educator, is the Co-Editor-In Chief for the Resources in Surgical Education peer review online journal, served as an educational consultant on the leadership team to develop the Entering Resident Readiness National Assessment and is the Course Director for the Surgeons As Educators National Course.

The session will be moderated by Mohsen Shabahang, MD, PhD, FACS, MAMSE, 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.

Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, will deliver opening remarks. Dr. Sachdeva is the founding director of the division of education at the American College of Surgeons. He established this new division, which is responsible for the development and implementation of innovative educational programs for surgeons, surgery residents, medical students and members of surgical teams. Under Dr. Sachdeva’s leadership, several major education and training initiatives have been launched. These include programs to promote expertise and excellence in surgery; cutting-edge simulation-based programs; Program for Accreditation of Education Institutes (simulation centers); ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators; a range of continuous professional development programs; and an innovative Patient Education Program. Dr. Sachdeva also serves as adjunct professor of surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

Dr. Sachdeva was awarded the Distinguished Educator Award (a lifetime achievement award) by the Association for Surgical Education, and the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Healthcare Simulation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. He has also received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Blockley-Osler Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, the Board of Trustees’ Award for Teaching Excellence, and Golden Apple Awards for teaching excellence. Dr. Sachdeva has served on the boards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and Accreditation Council for Graduation Medical Education (ACGME). Dr. Sachdeva has served as president of the Association for Surgical Education, president of the American Association for Cancer Education, president of the Alliance for Clinical Education, president of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, and president of the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education.