Vice Chair of Perioperative Services Melanie Morris, M.D., was elected Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) trustee-at-large on the board of trustees.

Morris will hold the position for a three-year term, ending in May 2024.

The last UAB Department of Surgery faculty to serve as a trustee-at-large was Associate Professor Jayleen Grams, M.D., who was elected in 2018 and will complete her term in 2022.

Grams, and now Morris, will actively participate in furthering the mission and vision of the SSAT, which is to lead in advancing the science and practice of gastrointestinal surgery. The SSAT is global community of GI surgeons advancing research, innovation, and advocacy to benefit interdisciplinary patient care.

“I am honored to serve the SSAT and their mission as an organization and to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Grams,” said Morris. “To represent UAB Surgery on this national stage is a wonderful opportunity, and I look forward to fostering relationships and promoting partnerships across the nation.”