If your doctor is affiliated with a medical school he will have access to the latest technology and will work closely with sub-specialists to provide comprehensive coordinated patient care. This makes it easier for you as a patient because if you have a variety of conditions requiring multiple physicians, your care can be more easily completed in one primary location. Appointments can be made with several physicians in one day as opposed to over several days in several different locations. Often the doctors can facilitate your visits with specialists.

University Surgeons is affiliated with Rush Medical College located at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center. Our surgeons are involved in the training of future surgeons and have access to the latest in research and technology.

As a medical student, the doctor completes four years of general medical training and has earned an M.D. degree. He then enters a Residency program, which will give him advanced training and experience in a particular field of medicine. A residency will focus on a particular specialty, and will spend from three to seven years becoming qualified in this specialty. A residency program in General Surgery lasts five years and a specialty in Colon and Rectal Surgery requires an additional year of training. Your surgeon may also elect to gain additional educational experience upon completion of a residency by choosing to enter a fellowship program. While not required, a fellowship offers a surgeon the opportunity to gain additional exposure to training and techniques not covered extensively in the residency program, and is encouraged to do research in his field.

After completion of the residency program, surgeons are then eligible to take an examination to obtain certification from an approved medical specialty board. Board certification is a voluntary process, and not all doctors go on the board certification, or are able to meet the requirements and pass the exams, which are very difficult. However, the majority of physicians practicing today choose to be board certified because this gives the public an idea of the competence of the physician in his specialty.

In order to become board certified, a surgeon must first complete an accredited resident training program and hold a license to practice medicine. If your doctor is board certified in his field, he will list this on his C.V. (curriculum vitae, or professional history) and may use initials after his title. If a doctor has completed the training but has not yet passed his examinations in his field and become board-certified, his C.V. will say that he is “Board Eligible”.

The surgeons practicing with University Surgeons have been board certified with the American Board of Surgery and in the case of two of our surgeons The American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

The American Board of Surgery (ABS) was founded in 1937 for the purpose of identifying surgeons who have met a certain standard of excellence. This board certifies General Surgeons and requires the surgeon to have acquired knowledge and experience related to the diagnosis, preoperative and postoperative management in a broad number of areas including the breast, skin and soft tissue, the alimentary tract, the endocrine system, etc. Prior to certification general surgeons must successfully complete a written qualifying exam and the oral certifying exam.

The American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ABCRS) was established in 1935 to identify colon and rectal surgeons demonstrating a certain standard of excellence. The surgeon must be certified by the ABS prior to ABCRS certification. The colon and rectum certified specialist will have acquired particular expertise in medical and surgical management of anorectal conditions, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, colorectal and anal tumors, endoscopy of the colon and rectum and intestinal and anorectal management of incontinence, constipation, diarrhea, etc. Colon and rectal certified surgeons also complete a written qualifying exam and oral certifying exam prior to certification.

Academic ranks are based on faculty members’ experience and reviews by their peers. The system of academic rank is uniform throughout the Universities in the United States.

An Assistant Professor is a junior faculty member hired on a 7-year non-renewable contract. During their 6th year, they are evaluated for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. A tenured faculty member is one whose job is secured for life except under certain circumstances. In order to obtain tenure the assistant professor must undergo a peer review process that generally takes the entire 6th year in which the candidate must gain approval from various committees and department heads.

An Associate Professor is a faculty member in the middle of his or her career who usually has tenure. A newly hired senior faculty member may be hired as an associate professor with without tenure and will be required to undergo the peer reviewed tenure process.

A Professor, also called a Full Professor, is a senior faculty member who has established themselves as a leader in their chosen discipline. The process for evaluation for promotion to Professor is similar to that of Associate Professor but more stringent. Although tenure gives faculty members job security, a professor must often contend with low salaries. In order to recruit and keep superior faculty universities established Endowed Professorships.

An Endowed Professor is distinguished from other professor in that their research, teaching and public service have greatly contributed the missions of their departments. The professorships are intended to provide salary or discretionary spending to retain superior professors, enhance a university’s research competitiveness, improve research ties with industry and strengthen a department’s ability to achieve regional or national prominence in their field.

Rush University currently has 86 Endowed Professorships. University Surgeons has the privilege of having one of these endowed professors associated with our practice. Alexander Doolas, M.D. holds the Stephen G. Economou, M.D., Chair of General Surgery. This endowed professorship was established in 1994 through the philanthropy of the Pritzer Foundation and Robert A. Pritzer, a Trustee of the Medical Center, and a friend and patient of Dr. Economou, an emeritus member of University Surgeons.

Professional societies offer our surgeons an opportunity to further their education and training through seminars and other educational programs. The societies may identify new procedures and techniques and act as a forum for exchange of ideas among surgeons. Many surgeons may take an active role in the society by giving lectures or becoming involved in the administrative aspects of the society.
As a patient you may find information about surgeons specializing in a particular procedure through the society related to that specialty. The societies web page may also have a listing of surgeons in your area.