President's Message
To the military surgery community,
I am honored to advocate on behalf of surgeons committed to the care of our nation’s servicemembers and their families. We continue to serve in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments, often the first called to respond to global events. Whether responding to the escalating conflict in Eastern Europe or the continual strain of COVID-19 on our healthcare system, military surgeons continue to provide care while adapting to unprecedented challenges. We need to ensure the lessons learned from operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria are carried forward to future generations of military surgeons to avoid the peacetime effect. Meeting these challenges will require surgical leaders able to extend their influence outside of their organizations to sustain the meaningful practice of military surgery.
The Excelsior Surgical Society (Excelsior) serves as the collective voice of surgeons across the entire military health system (MHS). Military surgeons innately lead in the operating room, clinical teams, hospitals, and health systems. Surgeon-led initiatives have created new military-civilian partnerships, and strengthened trauma readiness training, education, simulation, and surgical quality across the Department of Defense. This year’s emphasis on surgical leadership will draw upon our membership; program; mentorship; diversity, equity, and intrusion; research; and outreach committees to develop future thought leaders in the MHS. Our monthly webinars continue to improve information exchange while enhancing the networks of military surgeons and our civilian partners. We have added a new resident/fellow member of the Executive Council in addition to our Army, Navy, and Air Force representatives, Reserve, and civilian councilpersons. We appreciate your input on how Excelsior can best serve your professional needs. While we have adapted to virtual exchanges, I look forward to future opportunities for in-person events and hope to see you at our annual Symposium this October in San Diego, CA, in conjunction with the Clinical Congress. The MHS has responded and will continue to improve with our civilian partners through your participation in the Excelsior Surgical Society. Thank you for your valued contribution and service to future military surgeons.
Respectfully,
Danielle B. Holt, MD, MSS, FACS LTC, USA
President, Excelsior Surgical Society
