Nathan A. Womack Surgical Society Graduation Celebration

Graduating Residents and Fellows, accompanied by their families, attended the Department of Surgeries Graduation Ceremony on June 7, 2019 at the Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill. This year’s event included fellows from Critical Care, Advanced Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, Complex General Surgical Oncology, and Vascular Surgery as well as residents from General Surgery, and Plastic Surgery.

The event began with remarks from Dr. Kibbe and the presentation of four prestigious awards. Mia Klein, MD, won the George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS Surgical Research Award for her oral presentation given earlier in the afternoon at the Research Day event. Joanna Grudziak, MD, a graduating Chief Resident, won the Herbert J. Proctor Award for Excellence in Surgical Research. Bailey Sanders, MD, won the H. Max Schiebel, MD Award, given to a graduate who is considered technically the most proficient in skill with surgical procedures and Michael Williford, MD won the Nathan A. Womack Award, which is given to an outstanding graduating chief resident who showed excellence in teaching, investigation and patient care.

After the awards, residents, and fellows were called up for the traditional ceremony of “Pinning of the White Owl.” This tradition harkens back to the era of Dr. Sheldon, who in 1990 as Chair of the Department, began the tradition of honoring graduating residents by pinning a white owl to their lapel. “The white owl tradition centered on having the strength of character to admit one’s mistakes and the wisdom to learn from those mistakes,” Christopher C. Baker, former Professor of Surgery, in his 1992 Whitehead Lecture.

The Department would like to congratulate all of the graduates. Your hard work and dedication have been inspiring to us all! We wish you all the best in the next phase of your journey. For more pictures check out the UNC Department of Surgery Facebook page.

George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS Surgical Research Award: Mia Klein, MD

Herbert J. Proctor Award for Excellence in Surgical Research: Joanna Grudziak, MD

Nathan A. Womack Scholar Award: Michael Williford, MD

H. Max Schiebel, MD Award: Bailey Sanders, MD