William B Inabnet III, MD, surgeon-in-chief at UK HealthCare and chair of the Department of Surgery in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, was one of the 65 esteemed surgeon educators inducted into the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators on Sept. 30. This is an honorary distinction that recognizes surgeon educators who have devoted their careers to surgical education and are considered premier leaders in their respective fields.
Inabnet joins fellow UK College of Medicine faculty members Sandra Beck, MD, and Jitesh Patel, MD, who were inducted in as master surgeon educators in 2020. Patel was recently named division chief of colon and rectal surgery and Beck has been named vice chair of surgery education in the Department of Surgery.
Inabnet became chair of the Department of Surgery in September 2019. Prior to accepting his appointment with UK, Inabnet served as the Eugene W. Friedman, MD, Professor of Surgery with the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City and as surgical director of the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine. With the expansion of Mount Sinai, he also served as the system chief of endocrine surgery for the eight-hospital Mount Sinai Health System and is the founder and co-director of the Mount Sinai Adrenal Center Chair of Surgery of Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
An international authority in the field of minimally invasive endocrine surgery, Inabnet is a pioneer of new techniques in minimal access endocrine neck surgery as well as adrenal and pancreatic surgery. In 1998, he performed the first endoscopic thyroid resection in the U.S. He is also a leader in the field of minimally invasive metabolic surgery with an interest in obesity, disorders of the endocrine system, and beta cell metabolism. Under his leadership the Mount Sinai Weight Loss Surgery Program has become one of the premier programs in the world.
The ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators works to advance the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties. Individuals are selected as members, associate members or affiliate members following a stringent peer review process. This year’s class includes members (27 inductees), associate members (36 inductees) and affiliate members (two inductees). The first inaugural class was inducted in 2018 and the academy has since grown to include 301 members, associate members and affiliate members who represent six surgical specialties other than general surgery. Inductees are from 22 states and the District of Columbia. They come from seven countries in addition to those from the United States.
Once inducted, Academy members actively engage in advancing the Academy’s programs and goals, which are to advance the science and practice of innovative lifelong surgical education, training, and scholarship in the changing milieu of health care; foster the exchange of creative ideas and collaboration; support the development and recognition of faculty; underscore the importance of lifelong surgical education and training; positively impact quality and patient safety through lifelong surgical education and training; disseminate advances in education and training to all surgeons; and offer mentorship to surgeon educators throughout their professional careers.
“This academy of preeminent surgeon educators has been making landmark contributions to surgical education and is introducing many transformational changes in surgical education that will endure into the future,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, director of the ACS Division of Education and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the academy. “We look forward to leveraging the expertise of the members as we explore innovations that will continue to advance the field of surgical education and positively impact the careers of surgical educators.”
Academy members collaborate on and publish significant works of scholarship and participate in fireside chats, Grand Rounds Series and the Academy Symposium, an annual conference that brings together academy members to exchange best practices and discuss critical topics in surgical education. Through dynamic programming, members have addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical training, physician wellness and disparities in surgical education, among several other initiatives. The academy continues to focus on outreach to surgeon educators from across the globe, with a special emphasis on engaging surgeon educators from low-middle income countries. With this year’s induction ceremony, the academy will include more than 50 international members, representing 24 countries outside of the U.S.
“In addition to the recognition bestowed on highly deserving individuals, the academy is a vital, living body. It is a think tank, an impactful organization that explores and cultivates new innovations and interventions in an effort to establish best practices in surgical education,” said L.D. Britt, MD, past president of the ACS, and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the academy.
To learn more about the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, please visit the academy’s homepage.
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The college is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an influential advocate for all surgical patients. The college has more than 84,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org.