㽶Ƶ

Skip to main content

Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, MBA, FACS, Named President-Elect of Society of 㽶Ƶ Surgeons

Read Time: 2 minutes

Thomas Varghese Jr., MD, MS
Thomas Varghese Jr., MD, MS

Varghese, known for his innovative research in perioperative care and mentorship to physician-scientists, will become SUS President in February 2024. 

Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, MBA, FACS, chief value officer and associate chief medical quality officer at Huntsman Cancer Institute, is the 2023-2024 President-Elect of the Society of 㽶Ƶ Surgeons (SUS). Varghese’s one-year term as SUS President will begin in February 2024 following the Academic Surgical Congress, the joint meeting of the two leading associations for academic surgery – the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) and the Society of 㽶Ƶ Surgeons (SUS). 

Together the AAS and SUS have more than 5,000 members from leading institutions nationwide. SUS was established in 1938. Election to membership is based on scholarly productivity, extramural funding, teaching and leadership roles. SUS is one of the world’s premier organizations dedicated to the advancement of surgical science.

Varghese, who also serves as Chief of General Thoracic Surgery at the (the U) and professor in the department of surgery at the at the U, is a health services researcher whose clinical, research and operational experience focuses on optimizing patient health before surgery, surgeon performance, and health system outcomes. He helped create the , that is active at 331 sites across the nation and is a co-principal investigator of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on the role of Precision Exercise Prescription (PEP) for elective lung cancer surgical resection. Varghese has mentored and sponsored medical students, residents, fellows, PhD candidates, and junior faculty.

In addition to his academic work, Varghese is passionate about building a better world through diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is a member of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Governance Council and Enterprise Leadership Council, served as the co-chair of the Association of Women Surgeons #HeForShe Task Force, and as inaugural chair of the SUS Justice.Equity.Diversity.Inclusion Committee. In that role, he led the SUS Promising Leaders program for under-represented populations in medicine faculty. Varghese is also a co-principal investigator of an American College of Surgeons Board of Regents Innovative DEI and Anti-Racism grant that led to the development of the SUS-AAS .

“Scientific progress relies on problem solving and collaboration, where groups of people with diverse experiences and areas of expertise are empowered to lead, be creative, and innovate. I am incredibly honored and blessed to serve our members and this wonderful organization as president-elect,” Varghese says.

Media Contact

Heather Simonsen
Public Affairs Senior Manager
Huntsman Cancer Institute
801 581-3194
public.affairs@hci.utah.edu

About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the 㽶Ƶ of Utah

Huntsman Cancer Institute at the is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to advance cancer treatments of the future beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 300 open clinical trials and 250 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.

Resources for Media

Cancer touches all of us.