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Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

Become a Member
Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

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Disciplinary actions taken in 2019

The disciplinary actions taken by the ACS Board of Regents in 2019 are summarized.

ACS

February 1, 2020

The Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) took the following disciplinary action at its February 8, 2019, meeting in Chicago, IL:

Definition of terms

Following are the disciplinary actions that may be imposed for violations of the principles of the College:

  • Admonition: A written notification, warning, or serious rebuke.
  • Censure: A written judgment condemning the Fellow’s or Member’s actions as wrong. This is a firm reprimand.
  • Probation: A punitive action for a stated period of time, during which the Member: (a) loses the rights to hold office and to participate as a leader in College programs; (b) retains other privileges and obligations of membership; (c) will be reconsidered by the Central Judiciary Committee periodically and at the end of the stated term.
  • Suspension: A severe punitive action for a period of time, during which the Fellow or Member, according to the membership status: (a) loses the rights to attend and vote at College meetings, to hold office, and to participate as a leader, speaker, or panelist in College programs; (b) is subject to the removal of the Member’s name from the public listing and mailing list of the College; (c) surrenders his or her Fellowship certificate to the College, and no longer explicitly or implicitly claims to be a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons; (d) pays the visitor’s registration fee when attending College programs; and (e) is not subject to the payment of annual dues. When the suspension is lifted, the Fellow or Member is returned to full privileges and obligations of Fellowship.
  • Expulsion: The certificate of Fellowship and all other indicia of Fellowship or Membership previously issued by the College must be forthwith returned to the College. The surgeon thereafter shall not explicitly or implicitly claim to be a Fellow or Member of the American College of Surgeons and may not participate as a leader, speaker, or panelist in College programs.
  • Chukwuma P. Anyadike, MD, a colon and rectal surgeon from Virginia, was suspended from the College with terms and conditions for reinstatement. This action was taken following disciplinary actions by the states of New York, North Carolina, and Ohio based on standard of care issues.

The Board of Regents of the ACS took the following disciplinary actions at its June 7, 2019, meeting in Chicago:

  • James R. Lowe, MD, a general surgeon from North Carolina, was suspended from the College with terms and conditions for reinstatement. This action was taken following disciplinary action by the North Carolina medical board for repeated incidents involving alcohol abuse.
  • Arthur H. Pomerantz, MD, a general surgeon from Florida, was suspended from the College with terms and conditions for reinstatement. This action was taken following disciplinary action by the state of Massachusetts following an incident involving risk management protocols.
  • Douglas M. Rampona, MD, an ophthalmic surgeon from Virginia, was suspended from the College with terms and conditions for reinstatement. This action was taken following disciplinary action by the medical boards in Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Texas, following an investigation into his prescription practices.
  • A general surgeon from Georgia was admonished following disciplinary action by the medical board in Georgia related to personal relationships with patients and former patients.

The Board of Regents took the following disciplinary actions at its October 25, 2019, meeting in San Francisco, CA:

  • David A. Stalker, MD, a general surgeon from New Mexico, had his full Fellowship privileges restored following a period of probation.
  • Richard C. Rooney, Jr., MD, an orthopaedic surgeon from California, was suspended from the College for a period of one year. This action was taken following disciplinary action by the medical board in the state of Washington following a plea agreement with the Department of Defense.
  • Anthony Admire, MD, a plastic surgeon from Arizona, was placed on probation with terms and conditions for reinstatement. This action was taken following disciplinary action by the California Medical Board for failure to disclose information on his application for a medical license.
  • A urologic surgeon from Utah was censured. This action followed disciplinary action by the California Medical Board related to personal relationships with medical assistants.
  • A general surgeon from Florida was admonished. This action was taken following a complaint about statements this surgeon made during a medical malpractice trial that were alleged to be unprofessional conduct.
  • Herman Pang, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Arizona, was placed on probation with terms and conditions for reinstatement. This action was taken following disciplinary action by the Arizona medical board after his treatment of three patients was found to have deviated from the standard of care.