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J. David Richardson, MD, FACS,
installed as President of the ACS
Dr. Richardson
J. David Richardson, MD,
FACS, professor of surgery and
vice-chairman, department of
surgery, University of Louisville
School of Medicine, KY, was
installed as President of the
American College of Surgeons
(ACS) at the Clinical Congress
2015 Convocation, Sunday,
October 4, in Chicago, IL.
An eminent general,
thoracic, and trauma surgeon
and surgical educator, Dr.
Richardson is a 1970 graduate
of the University of Kentucky
School of Medicine, Lexington.
He completed a surgery
internship and worked as a
junior assistant resident at
the University of Kentucky
before moving to the School of
Medicine at the University of
Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio to complete
a general surgery and a
thoracic surgery residency.
After completing his surgical
training in 1976, he returned to
Kentucky to teach and practice
at the University of Louisville
School of Medicine. He rose
through the academic ranks
at the institution, starting
as an assistant professor of
surgery and becoming associate
professor of surgery in 1979.
He has served in his current
position as professor of surgery
since 1983 and as vice-chair
of the department of surgery
since 1985. He has served as
chief of surgery services and
director of emergency surgical
services at the University of
Louisville Hospital since 2005.
Dr. Richardson became an
ACS Fellow in 1980. Since then,
he has served the College in
various leadership capacities,
most recently as Chair of the
Board of Regents (2011–2012).
In that role, he also chaired
the Regents’ Finance and
Executive Committees. He was
a member of the ACS Board of
Regents from 2003 to 2011.
Dr. Richardson also has
played a leadership role on
several other ACS committees.
He was the ACS Governor
from Kentucky (1989–1995)
and served on the Governors’
Committee on Surgical
Infections (1992–1995). He
was Chair of the Research
and Optimal Patient Care
Committee (2004–2011) and
Vice-Chair of the Health Policy
and Advocacy Group (2010–
2011). He has been an active
member of the ACS Committee
on Trauma (COT), including
serving as Chair of the
Emergency Services-Prehospital
Subcommittee (1992–1999)
and as a member of the COT’s
Executive Committee (1992),
Membership Committee
(1993), and Verification/
Consultation Committee (1993).
In addition, Dr. Richardson
has served on the ACS Advisory
Council for General Surgery
(1997–2002), the Advisory
Council for Vascular Surgery
as a Regent (2003–2006), and
the Advisory Council for
Rural Surgery as an Ex Officio
member (2011–2012). He also
has been a member of the
ACS Committee on Video-Based Education (1991–1997).
Currently, Dr. Richardson is
Chair of the ACS Transition to
Practice Program in General
Surgery Steering Committee.
At the state level, he has
served as Chair (1985–1987)
and Vice-Chair (1981–1985)
of the Kentucky COT, and he
has been Secretary-Treasurer
(1983–1986) and President
(1987) of the Kentucky Chapter
of the ACS. He has served on
the Kentucky Committee on
Applicants (1997–2002) as well.
In addition to his leadership
roles within the ACS,
