WVU School of Medicine Alum Rachael Essig elected chair of the Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons

Rachael Essig, M.D., was elected to serve as chair of the Executive Committee of the Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons (RAS-ACS). RAS-ACS is the only surgical organization devoted to the concerns and needs of all surgical residents and young surgeons.

Dr. Essig is a first-year cardiothoracic surgery fellow at the University of Utah and a graduate of WVU School of Medicine, where earned her medical doctorate. She completed residency at Georgetown University Hospital General Surgery. Her involvement in RAS-ACS began with the Advocacy and Issues committee where she was both the secretary and vice chair. She is passionate about surgical ethics, advocacy, and mechanical circulatory support.

Through RAS-ACS, surgical residents and young surgeons can develop and use leadership skills in organized surgery. The Society provides the opportunity to participate in affairs of the ACS, allowing the opinions and concerns of residents and young surgeons to be heard by the ACS leadership. ACS is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The ACS has approximately 90,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. “FACS” designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.