Marie Crandall, MD, MPH, a professor of surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville, is the newest president of the Association of Women Surgeons.

The association, which is headquartered in Chicago and has international reach, provides mentorship and advocacy for female surgeons regarding pay equity, health care laws, standards in academic medicine and much more.

Crandall was elected to serve a one-year term as president, which follows her recently concluded two-year term as secretary. She has been a member of the association since 1999.

“I am honored to have been chosen to serve as president of such an important organization,” Crandall said. “The Association of Women Surgeons is a trailblazer and thought leader in the field of surgery, particularly on how women can better succeed and leverage opportunities for advancement. The work of AWS is imperative.”

Crandall says objectives as president are to:  

• Help grow the Association of Women Surgeons’ worldwide membership to more than 4,000 this year, which is the organization’s 40th anniversary.
• Continue to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion globally and within the organization.
• Provide timely, interactive content to help all surgeons engage, empower themselves and excel.

Crandall, who specializes in surgical critical care, also serves as chief of acute care surgery and director of the surgery residency program at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. In recent years, she has been heavily engaged in research, with a bulk of her studies exploring the health and societal impacts of gun violence.

About the association

Founded in 1981, the Association of Women Surgeons is a not-for-profit educational and professional organization dedicated to enhancing the interaction and exchange of information between female surgeons. The association has approximately 3,300 members of all genders who represent more than 40 countries.