Tulane professor to present named lecture at American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress

The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress is the largest annual meeting of surgeons in the United States. This year, one of the eight named lectures at the Clinical Congress will be given by a Tulane professor. Mary L. Brandt, MD, MDiv, professor of surgery and professor in the Program in Medical Ethics and Human Values at Tulane School of Medicine, will be giving this year’s John J. Conley Ethics and Philosophy lecture, entitled "The Ethics of Belonging." 

"I am incredibly honored to be asked to give this lecture,” said Brandt, adding “This is an opportunity to share many of the insights I have gained from the many initiatives to improve equity and inclusion in the Department of Surgery. In addition, it is an opportunity to bring together my clinical experience and my training in theology. I believe that much of the moral distress and burnout that healers are currently experiencing is the result of rapid changes in health care systems, changes that have decreased our sense of belonging and increased the risk of burnout. I hope to be able to define these issues and propose changes to increase belonging and decrease healer distress in this presentation.”

"Having Dr. Brandt present a named lecture will bring national attention and recognition to our Surgery Department,” said Mary Killackey, MD, Chair in the Department of Surgery. “In addition, being selected as the speaker for a named lecture at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress is one of the highest honors a surgeon can receive. These lectures are reserved for leaders in American surgery who have had a national impact in their area of expertise."

The 2022 American College of Surgeons Clinic Congress Conference will be held in San Diego this October. This is the first time this conference has gathered in person since 2019. This conference will also offer virtual registration options to make Clinical Congress accessible to everyone.