Michael Nussbaum, senior vice president, professor, and chair of the Department of Surgery at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) and Carilion Clinic, has been admitted into the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators, the premier professional organization that promotes the highest achievements in the lifetimes of surgeons. The induction ceremony will be held Sept. 30 in Chicago.

The academy recognizes physicians who have devoted their careers to surgical education. Individuals are selected to join 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.

“Surgical education has always been a key part of my personal mission,” said Nussbaum, who was admitted into the academy as an associate member in 2018. “This commitment manifests itself in all facets of my career. I’m honored to be inducted into the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.”

Nussbaum joined VTCSOM and Carilion Clinic in 2017 and is responsible for the surgical services across all of Carilion’s hospitals and clinics and serves on the general surgery residency program evaluation and clinical competency committees. Carilion Clinic is the largest integrated health care organization in western Virginia, providing care for nearly 1 million people annually.

“Teaching and mentoring students and residents in surgery has been a role that I take very seriously and have enjoyed immensely over the past 36 years,” Nussbaum said. He has served as instructor, teacher, and mentor in dozens of professional organizations. “In all these endeavors, I seek to be an active participant in efforts that enhance and improve educational opportunities for all levels of learners in surgery.”

Nussbaum is a nationally recognized expert in the area of gastrointestinal, endocrine, and minimally invasive surgery and has an extensive background in education and leadership. He has held leadership positions with numerous national professional organizations, including serving as a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, American Surgical Association, and the Southern Surgical Association.

In 2021, Nussbaum co-led the Learning and Working Environment work group for the InclusiveVTCSOM Task Force, a group of more than 100 individuals who were charged with reviewing the medical school through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion and proposing strategies that would invoke transformational change.

Nussbaum came to Roanoke from the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, where he was an endowed, tenured professor, and chief of the Division of General Surgery. He also was chair of the Department of Surgery, surgeon-in-chief, program director for the surgery residency, and the advanced gastrointestinal/minimally invasive surgery fellowship.

Nussbaum received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his residency at the University of Cincinnati Hospital.

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