Annual Meeting

Claude H. Organ, Jr. Memorial Lectureship

Dr. Claude H. Organ attended Xavier University, and completed his medical degree and Residency at Creighton. He remained on the Faculty at Creighton, becoming Chairman of the Department of Surgery in 1971. Dr. Organ is credited for developing two Surgical Residency programs, one at Creighton and the other at University of California, Davis. He established the University of California San Francisco East Bay Surgery Department, and was the Department Chair from 1989 – 2003. He also served as Editor of Archives of Surgery for 15 years. He has over 200 published articles. Dr. Organ served as Chairman of the American Board of Surgery, and was given the Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Surgeons, where he later served as President. He is a founding member of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, and championed minorities and women in surgical training. His named lecture at the Southwestern Surgical Congress began in 1996. Dr. Organ served as the Southwestern Surgical Congress as our 37th President, and will be remembered for his ability to listen, agile mind and strong moral compass.