The American Board of Surgery (ABS) is pleased to announce Dr. Bruce A. Perler has been hired as associate executive director for vascular surgery. He will succeed Dr. Robert S. Rhodes, who is retiring from the ABS after 20 years of service.
Dr. Perler is the Julius H. Jacobson II Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and vice chair for clinical operations and financial affairs of the department of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, as well as director of the vascular noninvasive laboratory. He also served for more than a decade as chief of the division of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy, and is the founder and past director of its vascular surgery training program.
In his new position as associate executive director for vascular surgery, Dr. Perler will oversee all ABS activities associated with vascular surgery assessment and board certification. He will continue to work part-time at John Hopkins, both practicing vascular and endovascular surgery and in his departmental administrative position. Dr. Perler is currently certified in vascular surgery by the ABS and is meeting the requirements of the ABS Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program.
Originally from New Bedford, Massachusetts, he completed his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine and his general surgery residency and vascular surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. He subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from Johns Hopkins University. He joined Johns Hopkins in 1982 as assistant professor of surgery and has remained at the institution for the duration of his career.
… I am excited about joining my colleagues at the ABS and working to continue to improve the certification and MOC process for vascular surgeons, ultimately in the interest of optimizing vascular surgical care.
– Dr. Bruce Perler
Dr. Perler is also the current president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, and previously served as president of the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery, Eastern Vascular Society, and Chesapeake Vascular Society, and on the executive council of the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery. In addition, he has served for the past seven years as senior editor of the Journal of Vascular Surgery, as well as of two journals that he co-founded, Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders, and Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases. He was also recently named co-editor of Rutherford’s Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 9th Edition.
“Dr. Perler’s vast experience in vascular surgery education will be a tremendous asset as we seek to continuously improve our certification and MOC processes for vascular surgeons. We look forward to his contributions to the ABS.” said Dr. Frank R. Lewis, ABS executive director.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be selected to succeed Dr. Robert Rhodes to serve in this important leadership position in American surgery,” said Dr. Perler. “The American Board of Surgery is led by an incredible team of professionals who are dedicated to carrying out its mission of serving the public interest by promoting lifelong learning and the highest standards of professionalism, in part through the conduct of a fair and rigorous examination process. Dr. Rhodes set the standard for fairness and excellence and leaves big shoes to fill, but I am excited about joining my colleagues at the ABS and working to continue to improve the certification and MOC process for vascular surgeons, ultimately in the interest of optimizing vascular surgical care.”
About the ABS
The American Board of Surgery is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1937 for the purpose of certifying individuals who have met a defined standard of education, training and knowledge in the field of surgery. Surgeons certified by the ABS have completed at least five years of surgical training following medical school and successfully completed a written and oral examination process administered by the ABS. They must then maintain their board certification through ongoing learning and practice improvement activities.
The ABS offers board certification in general surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, complex general surgical oncology, surgery of the hand, and hospice and palliative medicine. It is one of the 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Dec. 21, 2015