Department Chair Herbert Chen, M.D., delivered his annual State of the UAB Department of Surgery address in Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium last Tuesday, declaring at one point, "There are a lot of comparisons you can make between Jedi knights and surgeons, I believe."

Alluding to his own 2009 research, "Association for Academic Surgery Presidential Address Episode VI: The Return of the Surgeon," in which he compared modern-day surgeons to the Jedi knights of the "Star Wars" film franchise, Chen spoke of surgeons as heroes in an epic war against disease.

Department Chair Herbert Chen, M.D., compares surgeons to Jedi knights at his State of the Department address Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, in Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium.

"As the Jedi utilized high-tech light sabers to battle against the evil Dark Sith, surgeons utilize high-tech laparoscopes and robots to battle against evil human diseases and pathology," Chen explained. "In fact, both Jedi and surgeons are generally extremely talented at cutting."

Chen’s presentation, which you can download here, largely focused on the accomplishments of the UAB Department of Surgery and its faculty over the course of Fiscal Year 2016.

Chen kicked off the talk by recognizing the department's divisions and leaders, as well as their accomplishments and goals for 2016-17. Among those divisions was the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, which Chen announced would soon become its own department in 2018.

Chen also listed his three goals for 2016 and how the department fared in reaching those goals over the course of the year. By previewing what will soon be the new Translational and Preclinical Research Program facility and by listing the department’s many faculty with active federal research funding, clinical trials and extramural grants, Chen proved the department had achieved his first goal of 2016, to "increase Surgery's research portfolio."

Department Chair Herbert Chen, M.D., delivers his State of the Department address Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, in Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium.

Chen went on to explain how the department had enhanced career development, social networking and education opportunities—his second goal for 2016. By implementing Marshall Urist, M.D.'s faculty mentorship program, encouraging faculty to hold national leadership positions and celebrating faculty named to endowed chairs and professorships, the Department of Surgery demonstrated its focus on career development. And by expanding its social media presence, encouraging faculty interactions across divisions and helping faculty network with alumni, it showed a prominent interest in social networking. Chen explained that the department had also proven its dedication to education with the accomplishments of its residency and fellowship and programs.

Finally, Chen addressed his third goal for 2016, to “drive clinical program specialization and expansion.” Noting that while UAB Medicine’s physical capacity increased from 2015-16, Chen acknowledged that clinical revenue would begin to decrease with the previous local strategy. Therefore, as Martin Heslin, M.D., detailed in his external business development plan, the new strategy was to partner or hire surgeons to work in network hospitals or in alliance with those hospitals while still part of the UAB Department of Surgery. In 2016, the department met Chen’s third goal by placing surgeons in clinics throughout the state and fostering growth and partnerships throughout the region.

Download Chen’s presentation here or view the Storify here.