Dr. MacLean (left) accepting the Surgical
Forum Volume XL dedication from
Douglas W. Wilmore, MD, FACS, then-Chair of the Committee for the Forum
on Fundamental Surgical Problems,
at the 1989 Clinical Congress.
Surgical Association, the
Central Surgical Association,
the International Surgical
Group, and the James lV
Association of Surgeons.
Much of his energy dedicated
to surgical organizations,
though, was focused on the
ACS. In the 1960s, Dr. MacLean
was heavily involved with the
Pre- and Post-Operative Care
Committee and the writing
of the first ACS Manual of
Preoperative and Postoperative
Care. For the next six years,
he served on the Committee
on Fundamental Surgical
Problems, the Surgical Forum
Committee, of which he served
as Vice-Chair. In 1989, his
29th year of participation, the
Surgical Forum was dedicated
to him. Additionally, he was
ACS Secretary (1982–1983)
and served three consecutive
three-year terms on the ACS
Board of Regents (1983–1992),
culminating in his service
as Vice-Chair of the Board
of Regents (1991–1992). He
also served on the Honors
Committee (1981–1987);
Organization Committee
(1981–1985); Central Judiciary
Committee (1983–1990);
Executive Committee (1987–
1992); the Member Services
Liaison Committee (1990–
1992); and Health Policy and
Reimbursement Committee
(consultant, 1984–1986, and
member, 1993–2000).
Dr. MacLean was Chair
of the ACS Clinical Congress
Program Committee from
1985 to 1992. These were
fractious years due to an
increase in specialization and
surgical disciplines seeking
more program time and
independence. His diplomatic
skills were evident as the
College’s meetings were always
successful, and peacefully
evolved into the 1990s.
He was elected ACS
President in 1993, and
his Presidential Address,
“Wangensteen’s Surgical
Forum: A legacy of research,” is
worth reexamining. The speech
outlined Dr. Wangensteen’s
career, explaining how a
restless intellect that constantly
questioned the causes of the
clinical problems facing his
patients would find solutions.
Dr. MacLean believed surgeons
were physicians who operated—
not simply technicians. None
of us heard, “What do you
mean, you got a medical
consult?” more than once.
Influence on McGill’s culture
The Surgical Forum was an
integral component of the
residency program in Minnesota
and, under Dr. MacLean’s
leadership, participation in the
forum became a significant part
of serving and training in the
department of surgery at McGill.
For residents and junior staff,
meeting the March 15 deadline
for submitting abstracts for the
Surgical Forum was integrated
into the rhythm of the year.
Presentation and participation
were a part of the department’s
culture. In the late 1970s, more
than half of the Canadian Forum
papers were from McGill staff.
Dr. McLean was a leader
whose integrity, scholarship, and
devotion to the physiological
approach to patient care and
outcomes data epitomized the
caring academic surgeon. A
key characteristic that surfaced
in morbidity and mortality
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