Allan Tsung, MD, is the president of the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons, as well as the director of the Division of Surgical Oncology at the OSUCCC – James, and the John L. Marakas Nationwide Insurance Enterprise Foundation Chair in Cancer Research at The Ohio State University.
It is an extreme honor to serve as the president of the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons this year. Despite the challenges our society faced the past two years with the pandemic, the virtual separation gave us a greater appreciation for the in-person connectivity that we previously enjoyed and are now returning to more regularly. This was especially felt during our hybrid meeting in Chicago in 2021. It was great to see so many friends and colleagues who continue to passionately support our society!
I consider my involvement in SAAS as one of the most exciting and important positions to me due to our society’s focus on promoting professional development and increasing the representation of Asians in leadership roles across academic surgery. My career path could not have been possible without the mentorship and support of Asian colleagues, many who were involved in starting SAAS and continue to be momentum for its exponential growth. As such, one of my main initiatives this year is to increase career development opportunities for young surgeons – our Associate members in training, including medical students, residents, and fellows. I would like SAAS to remain responsive to the unique needs of this group of surgeons, as they are the future of our society!
Building upon work from our past presidents, SAAS will also continue to grow collaborations and initiatives with other specialty societies, such as the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, the Latino Surgical Society, and the Association of Women Surgeons. It is through allyship that our common goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion will be more powerful.
Finally, due to the continued growth of our society, I am excited to announce that we have established a new partnership with BSC management company where Yumi Hori, our new executive director, will be working with us to achieve our missions. As we welcome Yumi, I would like to thank her predecessor, Heidi Brittnacher, for all her hard work and dedication over the years. I am also grateful for all the amazing members serving our society in various roles that are invaluable to the success of SAAS.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email at allan.tsung@osumc.edu or via Twitter @allantsung during the upcoming year. I welcome and new ideas and suggestions on how SAAS can better support you. See you in Hawaii in 2022!
Allan Tsung, MD
President, Society of Asian Academic Surgeons