November 11, 2019 — Kenric Murayama, MD, FACS, Chair and Residency Program Director of the Department of Surgery at the University of Hawaii (UH) Medical School, is among a group of 83 esteemed surgical educators inducted into membership in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. He is the only surgeon from Hawaiʻi to receive the prestigious invitation to the Academy.

The Academy’s second induction ceremony occurred on October 4 at the John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium in Chicago. Dr. Murayama was inducted as an Associate Member of this prestigious Academy and is the only surgeon educator from Hawaii in the Academy.

Dr. Murayama, a 1976 graduate of ʻIolani School, returned home to Hawaiʻi in 2015 to lead the surgery department at the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), his alma mater (1985). His clinical interest is minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery with a focus on laparoscopic treatment for benign esophageal disorders, abdominal wall hernias, and morbid obesity and its metabolic consequences.

Dr. Murayama has a longstanding commitment to surgical education and leadership development in surgery. He has served as Residency Director at Abington Memorial Hospital and developed the Quality, Outcomes, and Performance Improvement Committee to engage residents and emphasize the importance of patient safety and quality improvement in their journey of lifelong learning. As Medical Director of the operating rooms, he led the initiative to create a corporate model for the department of surgery across two institutions. In that capacity, he was actively involved in operational and strategic planning and implementation with specific goals of improving efficiencies, cost containment, and program development. In addition, he is the founding editor of the textbook, “An Evidence-Based Approach to Minimally Invasive Surgery.”

“We are proud of this accomplishment by Dr. Murayama. The Academy of Master Surgeon Educators was developed by the ACS Division of Education to recognize surgeon educators who have devoted their careers to surgical education. Dr. Murayama clearly exemplifies the exceptional surgeon educator the American College of Surgeons seeks to honor through this Academy,” said Dr. Jerris Hedges, Dean of the UH JABSOM.

Developed by the ACS Division of Education, the Academy recognizes surgeon educators who have devoted their careers to surgical education. Individuals are selected as Members or, Associate Members, following stringent peer review. The Academy’s mission is to play a leadership role in advancing the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties, promoting the highest achievements in the lifetimes of surgeons.  Academy membership carries an obligation for commitment to the Academy’s goals, which are to identify, recognize, and recruit innovators and thought leaders committed to advancing lifelong surgical education; translate innovation into actions; offer mentorship to surgeon educators; foster exchange of creative ideas; disseminate advances in surgical education; and positively impact the quality of surgical care and patient safety.

In addition to supporting the mission and goals of the Academy, members must actively participate in Academy programs and activities.  “This unique Academy will change the course of surgical education and we will continue to pursue the Academy’s ambitious goals with great enthusiasm,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, Director of the ACS Division of Education and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy. “Groups of Members and Associate Members are already working effectively to address these goals. We also plan to start an annual peer-reviewed publication that will be launched in late 2020.”

“With highest quality patient care through education being the paramount theme of the American College of Surgeons, the growth of the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators continues to be an important emerging chapter for the ACS, the world’s largest organization for surgeons,” explained L.D.Britt, MD, MPH, DSc(Hon), FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon), FRCS(Glasg)(Hon), past president of the ACS, and co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Academy.

“Emphasizing the tremendous importance of surgical education in a changing health care environment will remain one major focus for the Academy’s work. This is really an important time in medicine for this talented and innovative group of surgeon educators and colleagues in other related disciplines to come together to impact surgical education and training,” said ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS.  “We congratulate and welcome all members to the class of 2019.”