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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. ♦
Dr. Ajit Sachdeva takes helm
of the Society for Academic
Continuing Medical Education
Dr. Sachdeva addresses the
World Congress on Continuing
Professional Development
shortly after his induction as
president of SACME
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