SAGES Member Spotlight

From academia to the military to community practice (to being a father of five), Dr. Yong Choi literally has a world of experience as a surgeon.

Dr. Choi’s wide range of experience extends to his participation on several committees since joining SAGES as a fellow in 2005. Current chair of the Continuing Education committee, he has also served on the Metabolic and Bariatric and Community Practice committee, the Education Council, and worked with Dr. Rob Lim as co-chair on the initial Military “Working Group,” now the Military committee.

When he retired as a colonel after serving 21 years as a military surgeon, Dr. Choi says, “I really enjoyed growing that group and appreciate SAGES support for the creation of that committee.  The support SAGES has given to military medicine has been nothing short of amazing.”

Dr. Choi, who moved from Korea to Houston at age six, considers himself a native Texan. A graduate of the Military Academy at West Point and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Dr. Choi did his residency at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.  After four years as a General Surgeon, he completed a Minimally Invasive fellowship at Baylor under program director Dr. John Sweeney, who encouraged him to join SAGES and who he still considers a mentor.

During his military career, Dr. Choi served as the Commander of the Forward Surgical Team at Fort Hood and was on the teaching faculty at Dwight Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon in Augusta Georgia. He’s also been to the Middle East four times, including both Afghanistan and Iraq, and says “caring for members of the military and their families has been some of the most rewarding work of my career.”

Now a Chief Medical Officer at St. Luke’s Health-The Woodlands Hospital in Texas, Dr. Choi gave a talk at the 2019 SAGES meeting about the transition from academic to community practice surgery.

Acknowledging the more fun aspects of SAGES meetings, Dr. Choi has also managed to ride two mechanical bulls (without injuring himself) during Main Events. One of the avid golfer’s more safe athletic goals is to “try to play golf in every state.”

 

 

When Dr. Marylise Boutros’ first international society grant award came from SAGES, more than its monetary value, she says, “It meant that an international leading society believed in me, my trainee, my lab and my research question. It fueled my career with confidence and enthusiasm for clinical research and to serve the society.”

That confidence and enthusiasm has carried over to Dr. Boutros’ involvement on several SAGES committees. She’s been part of the Research and Career Development Committee since 2015, and in 2022 became the lead for the sub-Task Force on the SAGES Research Data Bank, a repository for all SAGES members interested in research. She’s also been a member and now co-chair of the Colorectal Task Force for the last 10 years. As part of this task force, she led a topic within the inaugural SAGES-EAES Diverticulitis consensus guideline published in 2018, the only transatlantic collaboration with consensus on the management of diverticulitis. Dr. Boutros is also working on initiatives to popularize and implement non-antibiotic management of mild uncomplicated diverticulitis in North America.

As a resident at McGill, Drs. (and former SAGES presidents) Liane Feldman and Gerald Fried introduced Dr. Boutros to SAGES, and “being born into the SAGES family” she credits both for helping to guide and promote her career. In addition, Dr. Boutros cites a long list of SAGES member role models: Dr. Steven Wexner (for teaching me minimally invasive colorectal surgery at its best); SAGES president Dr. Patricia Sylla, (a pillar of colorectal surgery and SAGES excellence, someone I look up to but can never catch up to); Dr. Rebecca Peterson (for her elegant and kind leadership and ability to make everyone feel important); Dr. Christopher Ducoin (for taking on novel ideas and innovations); and, Dr. Lisa McLemore (who taught me how to responsibly adopt new techniques).

Dr. Boutros, who currently serves on the SAGES Board of Governors, points out that she has increased her involvement in SAGES over the years because “SAGES served as a springboard for my career, and the SAGES community has provided me with the most meaningful mentorship and friendships.” As one of three program co-chairs for SAGES 2024 in Cleveland next spring, she expects that it will be “the most exhilarating and SAGES-fun year for me.”

Being a SAGES member is being part of a community that she adds “does not compare to any other professional society – high quality work, leading science and surgery, but not forgetting what matters most: the people we are doing it with, the patients we are doing it for and having a good time. I plan to be a ‘SAGES Forever Member.’”

Dr. Vahagn Nikolian says “It was an early career goal to join and be involved with a society that represents such a diverse group of surgeons.” He adds that while, as a resident, he didn’t have much time to be involved with SAGES, he always enjoyed the quality of the conferences, didactics, operative technique videos, and other content that was available via open access.

Dr. Nikolian, who’ll be attending the Montreal meeting—like so many others—points to his fellow members as the key to SAGES. “I’ve enjoyed going to the meetings and learning from surgeons in all types of practices, and being exposed to new techniques and concepts. Throughout it all, the collegiality and inclusivity among the leaders to get to know the junior members has been a special experience.”

Having recently joined both the Hernia and Guidelines committees, Dr. Nikolian says a number of SAGES members have played a key role in his personal and professional growth. This includes Dr. Dana Telem, who has been a mentor since his residency and a huge supporter of his pursuit of abdominal wall reconstruction, Dr. Sean Orenstein, who is a longtime member of the society and an unbelievable partner at OHSU’s Hernia and Abdominal Wall Center, and Dr. Edward Felix, who has emerged as a career and life mentor.

About Dr. Felix, Dr. Nikolian adds, “He has always taken the time to give me perspective, encourage me to work towards my goals and sponsored me for opportunities.”

Over the long term, Dr. Nikolian says his goal is to continue to contribute to SAGES and support the growth of future members. “Paying forward the kind deeds and opportunities that my mentors have given me is a driving force for me in my life.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jonathan DeLong, MD, says he’s always “embraced the future of surgery,” particularly AI, robotics, and technology integration in surgery. Dr. DeLong joined SAGES in 2015 while a resident in the MIS research lab at UC San Diego when he presented two video abstracts demonstrating different applications of indocyanine green (ICG) in endocrine and foregut surgery at the annual SAGES meeting. Dr. DeLong has continued to leverage his expertise and enthusiasm to make a significant impact in the growing field of minimally invasive hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery (MIS-HPB) training under mentors Drs. Brendan Visser and Monica Dua at Stanford University.

He credits several other SAGES members with impactful mentorship in his career path and passion, including Dr. Garth Jacobsen, his residency Program Director at UC San Diego, Dr. Santiago Horgan, who “taught me technical finesse and made connections that led me into surgical innovation and technology,” Dr. Michael Bouvet, who “taught me the fundamentals of research,” Dr. Sonia Ramamoorthy who “taught me to embrace leadership and development,” Dr. Joslin Cheverie for “taking the time to teach the basics of surgical robotics and model humanism in surgery,” and Dr. Bryan Sandler for “encouraging me to get involved in SAGES committees.”

Dr. DeLong adds that he was motivated to join SAGES committees to become more involved in the organization and for the opportunity to meet other forward-thinking surgeons. He currently sits on the AI Task Force Committee, the Technology and Value Assessment Committee and the Robotics Committee, where he hopes to be influential in ushering in a new era of digital surgery.

For Dr. DeLong, these committees are, in part, what makes SAGES special. “I’ve always been interested in how advancements in technology can offer surgeons a better armamentarium to treat surgical diseases. SAGES is a strong agent of change, and its members, by prioritizing innovation, become impactful thought leaders in the field.”

One of his most memorable experiences as a SAGES member stemmed from a SAGES Tweet encouraging inclusivity and diversity by eliminating panels with all male members. DeLong, a member of the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies, is a staunch advocate of diversity, inclusivity, and awareness. SAGES move supporting the same ideals was a moment of realization that surgical organizations could evolve to the modern era and break from the old guard. He has since learned that this online community is also an ideal outlet for his (often terrible) dad jokes.

Looking to the future, Dr. DeLong views his membership in SAGES as an opportunity to engage with a community of driven surgeons committed to advancing the field. With a keen eye towards patient safety and improved efficiency, Dr. DeLong envisions SAGES as a platform for continued innovation and a catalyst for driving progress in surgical practice. When he’s not in the operating room, editing surgical videos, or laughing at his own jokes on Twitter, Dr. DeLong, a Wisconsin native, enjoys more low-tech pursuits, like hiking, snowboarding, and spending time with his husband and three dogs.

Community practice surgeon Dr. Seung Gwon, who owns her solo practice in El Centro, Calif., says she always knew she “wanted a lot of autonomy” as a physician.

A California native, Dr. Gwon graduated from the Chicago Medical School and completed her residency at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. She joined SAGES in 2011, after close friend and SAGES member Dr. Gretchen Purcell-Jackson asked her to sit on a panel discussing social media use among physicians.

Initially a member of the Educational Resources Committee, Dr. Gwon was encouraged by Dr. Purcell-Jackson to join the Community Practice committee as a way to connect with others in private practice. She says, “Of all the things I’ve done as a SAGES member, participating in the Community Practice committee is the most memorable. It’s fascinating to learn about how others problem solve in their own practices and hospitals.”

“It’s easy to feel disenfranchised as a solo general surgeon, she adds. “Members of this group are very kind and inclusive.” While Dr. Gwon says that committee chair Dr. Caitlin Halbert is the group’s collective voice, she also points to other committee members, like Drs. Shirin Towfigh and Mercedeh Baghai, whose experience in the surgical community benefits the entire group.

While she adds that it’s especially hard for solo practitioners to take time off to attend conferences, Dr. Gwon – who plans to be a SAGES member until she retires – makes a point to attend the SAGES annual meeting every year. “It’s not just about the CME; it’s important to know what’s current and what the standards are. The meeting is fun, panels are really entertaining and it’s opportunity to come together and reinforce our love for surgery.”

Dr. Gwon, who operates a second surgical practice focused on veins and aesthetics, is also involved in Friends with Purpose and is part of the group’s upcoming medical mission to Guatemala. Somehow she also manages to find time to surf, snowboard (“I’m a lifetime beginner”) and rock climb—though she’s careful not to hurt her hands with this hobby!