ACS Bulletin - October 2016

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Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education, was inducted earlier this year as president of the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME) at the World Congress on Continuing Professional Development in San Diego, CA. Dr. Sachdeva previously served as SACME president-elect and vice-president.

SACME plays a key national and international leadership role in advancing Continuing Medical Education (CME) through research and scholarship.

Membership in SACME includes deans of CME from medical schools throughout the U.S. and Canada, CME directors from academic health centers, doctoral-level professional educators, vice-presidents and directors of education from medical and surgical specialty societies, and other stakeholders involved with the fields of CME, quality improvement, and patient safety.

Dr. Sachdeva has made
landmark contributions to
the evolving field of CME and
has focused specifically on the
education and training needs
of surgeons in practice. His
vision and work have led to the
development and dissemination
of a broad spectrum of standard-
setting education, training,
verification, validation, and
accreditation programs that are
aimed at promoting excellence
and expertise in surgery. He
is currently pursuing the
development of a national system
to address the training and
retraining needs of surgeons
at various stages of their
professional careers. Dr. Sachdeva
also is adjunct professor of
surgery at the Feinberg School
of Medicine, Northwestern
University, Chicago, IL.

Dr. Sachdeva received his medical training at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He completed a surgery residency at the Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP), Philadelphia, and has held specialty certification in surgery since 1981. Dr. Sachdeva has participated in the Harvard Macy Institute Program for Leaders in Medical Education.

Before joining the College, Dr. Sachdeva was the Leon C.

Sunstein, Jr., Professor of Medical
and Health Science Education and
professor and vice-chairman for
educational affairs, department
of surgery, at the MCP
Hahnemann School of Medicine,
Philadelphia, PA. He also was
associate dean for medical
education and director of the
Academic Center for Educational
Excellence at that institution. In
addition, Dr. Sachdeva served
as chief of surgical services
at the Philadelphia Veterans
Affairs Medical Center (dually
affiliated with the University
of Pennsylvania and MCP
Hahnemann School of Medicine)
for 10 years. Dr. Sachdeva has
served as chair of the Committee
on Surgical Education of the
Society of University Surgeons
and as chair of the Education
Subcommittee (Study Section)
of the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Sachdeva has received
many prestigious awards for
his contributions to surgical
and medical education. He has
published widely in eminent
peer-reviewed journals on
educational topics and has
delivered invited presentations
across the U.S. and in Canada,
Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Dr. Sachdeva has served as
president of several national
professional organizations,
including the Association for
Surgical Education, American
Association for Cancer
Education, Alliance for Clinical
Education, and Council of
Medical Specialty Societies. ♦