Dr. Vivian McAlister is appointed as the next A.D. McLachlin Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Vivian McAlister, professor, Division of General Surgery, on being appointed as the next A.D. McLachlin Professor, effective January 1, 2014.

Dr. McAlister was appointed as Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery in 2001 and was promoted to Professor in 2003. Dr. McAlister is an exemplary transplant and general surgeon, researcher, and educator in the Department of Surgery. He has published articles in the peer-reviewed literature on a wide array of topics, including transplantation, health care delivery and the history of surgery. He is presently the CoEditor in Chief of the Canadian Journal of Surgery and serves on the Governance and Audit Committees and Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. McAlister has previously served as the President of the Canadian Society of Transplantation; Chair of the Canadian Organ Replacement Registry, and Chair of the Research Committee of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons.

In addition to his service to the University and the London Hospitals, Dr. McAlister joined the Canadian Forces in 2008 and has served annually in Canadian deployments in Afghanistan and Haiti. His military experience, combined with teaching expertise, led him to develop and lead national symposia and mass casualty exercises for trauma surgery and disaster planning in the Canadian context for civilian surgeons. In recognition of Dr. McAlister's extraordinary contributions, he has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal; a Surgeon General's Commendation, General Campaign Star, Operations Service Medal, and two General Service Medals from the Canadian Forces.

The A. D. Mclachlin Professorship was established in 1991 with the generous contributions made by former trainees and colleagues of Dr. Angus Mclachlin in dedication to his contributions as an esteemed teacher and clinician. A Rhodes Scholar and Mustang Football Team Captain, Dr. Mclachlin served as a surgeon in field hospitals in Europe during WWII and returned to Chair the Department of Surgery from 1945 to 197 4. He was also known for his leadership in forming the Southwestern Ontario Surgical Association. In this role, Dr. McAlister will continue to foster surgical education and continuing professional development in the surgical community of southwestern Ontario. Previous holders of the Mclachlin Professorship include Dr. Bill Jamieson, Dr. Ed Meads, Dr. Robert Bourne, Dr. Robert Litchfield, Dr. Doug Ross, and Dr. Brian Taylor.

The Department of Surgery is known for innovation in teaching, research and clinical care, and is delighted that Dr. McAlister will be at the forefront of surgical education as the next Mclachlin Professor. Congratulations to Dr. McAlister on this significant achievement.