Michael Awad, MD, PhD, MHPE, Amber Leis, MD, and Bethany Sacks, MD, MEd, are among a group of 103 esteemed surgeon educators inducted into membership in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators® on September 19, 2025, during a program event in Chicago. This is the eighth cohort of members inducted into this distinguished Academy.
The ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators® works to advance the science and practice of education across all surgical specialties. Individuals are selected as Members, Associate Members, or Affiliate Members following a stringent peer review process. This year’s class includes Members (56 Inductees), Associate Members (42 Inductees), and Affiliate Members (5 Inductees). The first inaugural class was inducted in 2018 and the Academy has since grown to include 458 Members, Associate Members, and Affiliate Members who represent thirteen surgical specialties other than general surgery. Inductees are from 32 states and the District of Columbia. They come from nine countries in addition to those from the United States.
Once inducted, Academy members actively engage in advancing the Academy’s programs and goals, which are to advance the science and practice of innovative lifelong surgical education, training, and scholarship in the changing milieu of health care; foster the exchange of creative ideas and collaboration; support the development and recognition of faculty; underscore the importance of lifelong surgical education and training; positively impact quality and patient safety through lifelong surgical education and training; disseminate advances in education and training to all surgeons; and offer mentorship to surgeon educators throughout their professional careers.
“Drs. Awad, Leis and Sacks join the ranks of distinguished educators as members of this esteemed organization, attesting to the emphasis our department places on training the next generation of surgeons and surgeon-leaders,” said John A. Olson Jr., MD, PhD, the William K. Bixby Professor and chair of the Department of Surgery. “Each of these three surgeons is highly deserving of their induction into the Academy.”
Awad, a professor of surgery, was inducted as a Member of the Academy. He serves as the longtime director of the Washington University Institute for Surgical Education (WISE). A national leader in his field, Awad recently served as president of the Association for Surgical Education (ASE) and current chair of the Education Council for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). He was also recently inducted as a Fellow of the prestigious American Surgical Association. His dedication to education has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Jeffrey Ponsky Master Educator Award from SAGES and the Phillip J. Wolfson Outstanding Teaching Award from the ASE.
Leis, an associate professor in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, was inducted as an Associate Member of the Academy. She serves as director of the plastic surgery residency program. Prior to joining the faculty at WashU Medicine, Leis served as chief of the Plastic Hand Surgery Division at University of California, Irvine, where she also served as director of the plastic surgery residency program. She serves in leadership roles for several leading professional organizations for plastic surgery, is a current member of the ACGME RRC for Plastic Surgery and serves as the chair of the Council of Program Directors for the specialty nationally. In 2023, she was awarded and outstanding faculty teacher award from American Council of Educators in Plastic Surgery, and in 2024 was awarded the Academician of the Year by the California Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Sacks, an associate professor of surgery, was inducted as an Associate Member of the Academy. She serves as surgery clerkship and curriculum director and an associate program director for the general surgery residency at WashU Medicine. Under her leadership, the surgery clerkship has become one of the most popular rotations among medical students at the School of Medicine, receiving the Distinguished Service Teaching Award for Clerkship of the Year at WashU Medicine in both 2023 and 2024. Prior to her role at the medical school, Sacks led the surgery clerkship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she received numerous teaching awards including the Department of Surgery William Stewart Halsted Teaching Award and induction into the Distinguished Teaching Society of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She also served as director of undergraduate education for the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. She is a member of multiple professional organizations including the ASE and the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS). At the AAS, she is a past co-chair of the Education Committee.
“This year, we celebrate another cohort of distinguished surgeon educators who are pushing the frontiers of surgical education and making outstanding contributions to our field,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, Senior Vice President of the ACS Division of Education and Co-Chair of the Academy. “As we welcome these new members, we are excited to continue fostering innovation, collaboration, and excellence in surgical education. Together, we will define the future of surgical education and inspire the next generation of educators to advance patient care and professional practice through impactful education.”
Academy members collaborate on and publish significant works of scholarship and participate in fireside chats, Grand Rounds Series, and the Academy Symposium, an annual conference that brings together Academy members to exchange best practices and discuss critical topics in surgical education. The Academy continues to focus on outreach and mentorship to surgeon educators from across the globe, with a special emphasis on engaging surgeon educators from low-middle income countries. With this year’s induction ceremony, the Academy will include 64 international members, representing 25 countries outside of the U.S.
“The Academy of Master Surgeon Educators continues to be a dynamic force, driving the evolution of surgical education through the dedication and expertise of its members,” said L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, DSc(Hon), FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon), FRCSEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon), FRCS(Glasg)(Hon), MAMSE, Past President of the ACS, and Co-Chair of the Academy. “As we welcome the 2025 class of exceptional educators, we reaffirm our commitment to shaping the future of surgical training and setting new educational benchmarks that ultimately enhance patient care and outcomes.”
Previously inducted Members of the Academy from the Department of Surgery include Timothy Eberlein, MD, the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and director of Siteman Cancer Center, and Mary Klingensmith, MD, the Mary Culver Distinguished Professor Emeritus at WashU Medicine.
To learn more about the Academy of Master Surgeon Educations, please visit the Academy’s homepage.