CME

SSO Surgical Oncology Pathways to Health Engagement, Representation, & Education (SPHERE) Featured Lecture: What Cannot Be Dismantled: The Promise of Belonging

Thursday, March 5, 2026

1:15 PM - 1:50 PM MST

Location: 301A

CME .50

Introducer/Moderator(s)

Alliric I. Willis, MD, MSPH (he/him/his)

Professor of Surgery, Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs
Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

KMarie King, MD, MS, MBA, FACS (she/her/hers)

Henry And Sally Schaffer Chair, Department Of Surgery, Chief of Surgery, Professor Of Surgery
Albany Medical College
Albany, New York, United States

To examine belonging as a measurable determinant of innovation, discovery, and clinical excellence in academic surgery, using historical and contemporary examples from our field.
To analyze how belonging influences workforce stability across the surgical pipeline, including recruitment, retention, leadership development, and the sustainability of surgical teams.
To evaluate the impact of exclusion—past and present—on scientific progress, institutional culture, and patient outcomes, and to articulate why belonging is essential to preventing delays in discovery.
To identify evidence‑informed strategies for embedding belonging into surgical training, leadership structures, and institutional practices in ways that strengthen performance across politically diverse environments.