Annual Scientific Session
REGISTRATION open! Meeting Date: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2023
JOHN R. CLARKE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Stephanie B. Wheeler, PhD, MPH, is a health services researcher and decision scientist focused on quantifying the social, behavioral, clinical, and organizational factors that affect healthcare access, quality, value and equity. Her research portfolio is primarily focused on cancer care delivery, with particular emphasis on improving value, understanding the financial and psychosocial impacts of cancer, and reducing health disparities. She also is a methodological resource for simulation modeling and systems science, ‘big data’ linkages and analytics, behavioral intervention studies, and comparative and cost effectiveness research.
Dr. Wheeler is especially knowledgeable and well-versed in using economic, epidemiologic, and systems modeling to support better healthcare decisions, and she is adept in handling and analyzing complex datasets, including SEER-Medicare data, state cancer registry data linked to all payer claims data, epidemiologic cohort data (e.g., Carolina Breast Cancer Study), and healthcare workforce data, among other datasets.
Projects currently led or co-led by Dr. Wheeler include CDC-funded and NCI-funded studies focusing on implementation of colorectal cancer screening in low income populations; American Cancer Society-funded and NCI R01-funded studies focusing on implementation of a behavioral intervention to optimize ET adherence among black and white breast cancer survivors; NCI R01-funded, Pfizer/NCCN-funded and CDC-funded studies examining the financial impact of metastatic breast cancer; and an American Cancer Society-funded study developing survivorship risk stratification algorithms. Other NIH-supported work focuses on interventions to increase HPV testing and HPV vaccination in underserved populations and understanding how care coordination can influence adherence to chronic comorbid disease medications during cancer treatment and survivorship.
Dr. Wheeler directs the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement within the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also directs the CDC-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network as PI of the Coordinating Center; co-directs the NCI-funded T32 Cancer Care Quality Training Program (CCQTP); and co-directs the NCI-funded Geographic Management of Cancer Heath Disparities Program (GMaP) Region 1 South. She was awarded the 2017 Hettleman Prize for Scholarly and Artistic Achievement and the 2017 Early Career Award from the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH).
FEATURED PANEL: MEASURING AND ADDRESSING SOCIAL RISK IN SURGICAL HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
In the wake of inequities brought into heightened relief by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been increased interest on the part of clinicians, investigators, healthcare systems, and electronic health record (EHR) vendors to capture social determinants of health (SDOH), measure unmet social need, and estimate social risk among potentially marginalized individuals. Our panelists will discuss challenges associated with measuring social risk in surgical populations and incorporating this information into actionable health services research. This session will provide real-world examples in diverse surgical populations and from a variety of surgical fields including orthopedic, transplant, and trauma.
LISA MCELROY
MD, MS, FACS
Duke University
CATHERINE VELOPULOS
MD, MPH, FACS
University of Colorado
CAROLINE P. THIRUKUMARAN
MBBS, MHA, PHD
University of Rochester Medical Center
FEATURED PANEL: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community engagement in surgical healthcare delivery and surgical health services research has become increasingly important as surgeons and researchers recognize the importance of partnering with community to optimize healthcare delivery. Community engagement prioritizes the needs and desires of the people who could benefit most from the research. Our three panelists have diverse experience with creating community engagement around surgical issues. The session will provide information on recruiting community partners in research, pitfalls, co-designing projects with community partners, translating findings into deliverables, pearls of wisdom, and funding of community engagement projects.
DAVID COOKE
MD, FACS
University of California, Davis
ROCHELLE A. DICKER
MD
University of California, San Francisco
QUOC-DIEN TRINH
MD, MBA
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
FEATURED PANEL: MICHAEL ZINNER RESEARCH FELLOWS
This panel will consist of Michael Zinner Fellows who will highlight their innovative research projects and professional accomplishments during their fellowship.
Berje Shammassian, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Louisiana State University Health Science Center - New Orleans
Mentor: Andrew Ibrahim, MD, MS;
University of Michigan
Audree Tadros, MD, MPH
Assistant Attending
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Mentor: Lola Fayanju, MD, MA, MPHS;
University of Pennsylvania

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. All attendees planning to participate in the 2023 Annual Scientific Session must register to attend.
We have gone GREEN! A copy of the agenda will be provided at registration, but all other meeting materials including presenter slides, will be available via the Member Portal.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
The abstract submission deadline has passed. Please review next steps below:
You will be notified of your selection status by August 11.
If accepted to participate, SOC staff will provide additional instructions and guidance for registration and travel logistics. Presenters are responsible for their own travel and event registration expenses.
Final posters will be due in September 2023 in PowerPoint format.
Future MEETING Dates
2024: San Francisco, CA; Sunday, October 20
2025: Chicago, IL; Sunday, October 5
2026: Washington, DC; Sunday, September 26
2027: San Diego, CA,; Sunday October 17
2028: Boston, MA; Sunday, October 22
2029: San Francisco, CA; Sunday, October 20