Jeffrey Upperman, MD, surgeon-in-chief of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, has been selected to the highly competitive American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of the Master Surgeon Educators.
Founded in 2017, the academy has been charged to identify and engage innovators and thought leaders from the field of surgical education and to translate innovation into action. The aim of the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators is to recognize and assemble a cadre of renowned master surgeon educators who will work closely with the ACS Division of Education, to advance the science and practice of avant-garde surgical education and training, according to the ACS website.
Upperman, who joined Monroe Carell in 2019, will be inducted into the academy Sept. 27 during a celebration in Chicago. As a member, he will participate in various programs and activities designed to support and enhance surgical education.
“I am truly honored to be recognized by the academy, and I look forward to contributing to its mission,” said Upperman, chair of the Department of Pediatric Surgery and vice chair for Pediatric Surgical Services in the Section of Surgical Sciences. “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of my colleagues and the entire team at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Together, we strive to provide the best educational environment for our trainees and the highest quality of care for our patients.”
Among the many goals of the academy, the group seeks to steer advances in the surgical field, fostering innovation and collaboration, supporting faculty development and recognition, and underscoring the critical importance of surgical education and training in the changing milieu of health care.
As surgeon-in-chief, he has worked to help shape the hospital’s educational programs and mentor the next generation of surgeons with the goal to advance pediatric surgical care. Upperman specializes in emergency preparedness with a focus on children and families. He has published more than 180 peer-reviewed publications, 200 abstracts and 20 book chapters. His focuses include sepsis, inflammation, trauma and disaster preparedness, and he has received research funding support for these areas from the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Upperman is currently serving as president of the Surgical Infection Society, and he serves on the National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters, an appointment by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. In January, he was inducted into the American Pediatric Society. Among his many other professional service activities, he has been a member of the disaster committee for the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and served as secretary of the Pediatric Trauma Society.
