Learning and Networking

Quillen students, faculty attend regional surgical conference

Quillen College of Medicine’s Department of Surgery was well-represented at the Southeast Surgical Congress (SESC) 2023 Annual Meeting, which was held in Savannah, Georgia, in February.

A number of medical students, surgery residents and faculty attended the conference, with many more represented as coauthors of various projects.

“Attending this conference gave me an opportunity to see some of the strong research being done by my fellow medical students and trainees at every level of medical education at Quillen,” said Allen Archer, a medical student who recently completed a one-year term as the student representative to the ETSU Board of Trustees.

Three representatives of the Department of Surgery either gave or served as discussants for podium presentations, including faculty Drs. J. Bracken Burns and Keelin Roche, and resident physician Dr. Matthew Heard.

Several members of the ETSU delegation were involved in presentations at the conference, some of which were published or selected for publication in The American Surgeon, the journal of the SESC. Co-authors of these projects who attended the conference include Quillen students Archer and Jake Cartwright; resident physicians Heard and Drs. Neil Horsley, CeCe Kim, Liz Mannino, and Mary McBride; and faculty members Burns, Roche, and Drs. Christy Lawson and Trevy Ramos.

In addition, a number of ETSU representatives gave

“Quickshot” oral presentations, including Quillen students Cartwright, Landon Armstrong, Mary “Mae” McCrory, and Payton O’Quinn; and residents Horsley, Kim, Mannino, and McBride. Also attending were medical students Noah Rutherford and Fiona Whitaker and faculty member Dr. Lou Smith.

“This regional conference is an incredible networking opportunity,” Archer said. “I was able to meet and talk with residents and attendings currently training and working at many of the programs I’m interested in pursuing. Opportunities to share research projects and ideas across programs and showcase my current work increases the chances of matching at my top-choice program in just a few short years.”

“The biggest thing I took away from the conference is how much variety exists in surgery today,” McCrory said. “It was amazing to see all the possibilities of change, unique case studies, and how different specialties work together to help patients. This conference got me more excited for my potential future in surgery. I gained confidence in my presentation skills and learned about techniques and diseases I had never heard of. Just being in a place surrounded by people with similar passions and goals is always refreshing.”

The SESC aims to serve as “the premier regional surgical organization for general surgeons and sub-specialists” and “is dedicated to the presentation, evaluation, and dissemination of current knowledge and research” in the field.