2015 Woodward Society meeting unites UF surgery grads for education, fellowship

The Edward R. Woodward Surgical Society held its sixth annual meeting in February. Makesha Miggins, M.D. (2014), recipient of the 2014 Hugh Walters Award Humanitarian Award and a breast surgical oncology fellow at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, led attendees in surgery grand rounds to start the day.

Participants then enjoyed a breakfast before moving on to the rest of the agenda. Mark Kelley, M.D. (1995), professor and chief of the division of surgical oncology and endocrine surgery at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, provided welcoming remarks to start the agenda. Beau Toskich, M.D. (2013), affiliate assistant professor of soft tissue surgery and surgical oncology at UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine, presented “Radioembolization”; Elizabeth Beierle-Chen, M.D. (1996), also a professor of pediatric surgery, discussed “Novel Therapeutics for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma”; Frederick Ryckman, M.D. (1982), a professor of surgery at the University of Cincinnati and senior vice president of medical operations at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, presented “Building a Hospitalwide System for Safety and Efficiency”; Kirby Bland, M.D. (1976), Fay Fletcher Kerner professor of surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, presented the event’s keynote address “History and Evolution of Breast Cancer Therapy”; Ramsay Camp, M.D. (2002), an associate professor in the division of Oncologic and Endocrine Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina talked about “Conservative Management Following Neoadjuvant Therapy for Rectal Cancer”; Mike Chen, M.D. (1993), a professor of pediatric surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, presented “Global Surgery Delivery: Lessons from Medical Missions to Vietnam”; Randy Jenkins, Esq., president of Healthcare Education Insurance Company and a clinical associate professor in UF’s College of Public Health and Health Professions, presented “Best Practices for Disclosing Adverse Events and for Avoiding Medical Malpractice Lawsuits”; Caren Gaines-Wilkie, M.D. (1989), a general surgeon at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach presented “Rural Surgery among the Navajo”; Kevin Behrns, M.D., chair of the UF department of surgery and the Edward R. Woodward Professor of Surgery, ended the meeting with a state of the department address. The day concluded with dinner at Mark’s Prime Steakhouse in downtown Gainesville.

Kevin Steadland, M.D. (1993), traveled from Mercy General Surgery Clinic in Andover, Minnesota, to attend this year’s meeting. “I had a great time,” said Steadland. “I enjoyed the wide range of presentations from basic science research being done. I’m really glad I made the trip and highly encourage all former residents to come next year.”

View photos of this year’s event, as well as past years.