The Thuss Lectureship Series at Vanderbilt University

Abstract

Background The Thuss lectureship began in 1978 and is carried at both Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Stanford Medical Center. The 2-day event consists of a resident and fellow workshop and dinner with an invited keynote speaker, followed by a didactic session and research presentation the following morning. This lecture honors the career of Dr Charles J. Thuss, Sr, and acts as a memorial for Dr Thuss, Jr, and his son, Carter. Trainee presentations have been catalogued since 2019, and we sought to identify the presentations that resulted in publications. Methods Internal records from 2019 to 2022 were referenced to catalogue presenters and project titles. PubMed searches were conducted to identify projects from these presenters with direct links to their presentations at the lectureship series. Results The event has been held consecutively from 1978 to 2023 with 44 keynote lecturers. Between 2019 and 2023, 17 residents, fellows, and medical students from Vanderbilt University Medical Center or/and the Tennessee Society of Plastic Surgery gave 19 research presentations for the Thuss lectureship at Vanderbilt. Due to the pandemic, no resident or trainee presentations were given in 2020. Nine of 11 project presentations resulted in publications, with presenters being the resultant first author of 6 of these articles. Conclusion The Thuss lectureship at Vanderbilt serves as an academic conduit to share research and build camaraderie among plastic surgeons across Tennessee. Additionally, it fosters a platform for trainees to contribute to the academic literature and see projects from inception to publication.