The University of Kentucky Department of Surgery presented Shari Meyerson, M.D., M.Ed., with its highest honor in surgical education, the Richard W. Schwartz, M.D. Leadership in Education Award, during the department's annual Schwartz Memorial Lectureship in October. Melissa Ranney Newcomb, M.D., vice chair for education in the department, presented the award to Meyerson.
UK Surgery's Leadership in Education Award is considered a lifetime achievement award celebrating an individual faculty member's career of excellence in surgical education. It is named in honor of the late Richard Schwartz, an internationally recognized pioneer in medical student and resident surgical training. Unlike other recognitions, the Schwartz Award is not presented annually.
Meyerson is a nationally recognized leader in surgical education. She joined the UK Department of Surgery faculty in January of 2019 as head of thoracic surgery and program director of the Integrated 6-Year Cardiothoracic Residency and the Thoracic Surgery Fellowship. Her reputation as a surgical educator and as an accomplished thoracic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive techniques were key reasons the University of Kentucky sought to recruit her to its faculty.
Similar to her UK appointment, Meyerson served as director of the I-6 residency program and its traditional fellowship program in the cardiothoracic surgery division of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Meyerson completed general surgery residency at University of Chicago Hospitals and a fellowship in thoracic surgery at Duke University.
Prior to joining the UK surgery faculty, Meyerson collaborated with Joseph Zwischenberger, M.D., former UK surgery chair, on a national assessment tool for surgical based competency. As an esteemed visiting professor, she delivered a memorable keynote address to a graduating class of UK general surgery residents.
Meyerson has continued to research and publish extensively as lead and co-investigator on studies examining the efficacy of competency-based training, assessment, and certification in resident surgical education. As chief of the UK thoracic surgery division, she and the division faculty have elevated the national profile of the clinical thoracic surgery service as well as the I-6 resident program at the University of Kentucky.