Amy Goldberg, a distinguished trauma surgeon and Marjorie Joy Katz Dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, has taken on a new leadership role. She has been named chair of the American Board of Surgery (ABS), the national certifying body for general surgeons and related specialists.
For Goldberg, being named board chair is a full circle moment. She received her accreditation from the ABS after becoming a surgeon more than 30 years ago.
“When I finished my residency, I took all the exams to get accredited and to maintain that accreditation,” Goldberg said. “For me to be the chair of the board that is responsible for protecting the public, overseeing accreditation and enhancing the profession of surgeons, is incredibly humbling and really an honor.”
When Goldberg joined Temple University Hospital as a surgical intern more than 35 years ago, she was mentored by the late Wallace Ritchie Jr., a renowned general surgeon. Ritchie retired as chair of Temple’s Department of Surgery in 1994 to serve as the executive director of ABS.
“He would be so tickled to know that I am now chair of that board,” Goldberg said.
As chair for the 2024–2025 term, Goldberg is responsible for overseeing the organization’s high commitment to the accreditation, education, training and professionalism of accredited surgeons.
“One of the major initiatives of the American Board of Surgery right now is the entrustable professional activities, which is really an objective way of evaluating our surgical trainees,” she explained.
“As they move through the residency, we can use objective evidence to assess whether they can be just observers in the beginning, or at the end to do those procedures and function independently without supervision.”
The ABS offers board certification in general surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, complex general surgical oncology and surgery of the hand. According to the organization, about 34,000 surgeons are currently certified by the ABS.
Nominated to the ABS by the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma in 2018, Goldberg served on the previous ABS Board of Directors (now the ABS Council) until 2019 when she was elected to serve as a director on the new governing board of the ABS.
Goldberg has devoted more than 30 years to medical education, clinical practice and community service. Her research has focused on penetrating trauma injuries and the impact of gun violence prevention and intervention programs.
“What keeps me grounded is the work that I do with our community and the care that I am privileged to provide around trauma care,” said Goldberg, who takes pride in being a Temple-trained surgeon.
She has received various accolades throughout her career and was recently named a 2024 Women of Influence honoree by the Philadelphia Business Journal. The award recognizes local women leaders who have left their mark on Greater Philadelphia.
Goldberg became the first female appointed as dean of the Katz School of Medicine in 2022. She has held leadership positions at Temple, including chief of the Trauma and Surgical Critical Care Division, director of the general surgery residency program, and the George S. Peters MD and Louise C. Peters Chair and Professor of Surgery.
“Dr. Goldberg brings incredible leadership to the ABS. Her professional trajectory from being a trauma surgeon serving the population of North Philadelphia to becoming a program director in surgery overseeing the education and training of the next generation of surgeons, to becoming chair of the department and ultimately dean, every step of the way has been informed by her extraordinary integrity,” said Jo Buyske, president and chief executive officer at ABS.
“Dr. Goldberg is recognized nationally as a leader with a true north, which is what is best for the care and safety of the patients. We are very proud to have her as our chair.”