S. Dave Bhattacharya, MD and John C. Huggins, MD from University Surgical Associates are among 2,125 initiates from around the world who became Fellows of the American College of Surgeons during the Convocation ceremony at the College’s virtual annual Clinical Congress 2020, Oct. 3-7. This year’s class of Initiates was among one of the largest ever admitted into the College.
Dr. Bhattacharya is a pediatric surgeon providing comprehensive surgical care for children from birth through young adulthood and sees patients at the USA Medical Mall office. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at UT College of Medicine Chattanooga.
Dr. Huggins focuses on general surgery, stereotactic and ultrasound guided biopsies, hernia repair, and breast conservation surgery.
He sees patients at the USA Gunbarrel office and is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at UT College of Medicine Chattanooga.
By meeting the College’s stringent membership requirements, Fellows of the College have earned the distinguished right to use the designation of “FACS” (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after their names. An applicant for Fellowship must be a graduate of an approved medical school; must have completed advanced training in one of the 14 surgical specialties recognized by the College; must possess certification by an American surgical specialty board or appropriate certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; and must have been in practice for at least one year at the time of his or her application. Before admission into Fellowship, the surgeon must further demonstrate ethical fitness and professional proficiency, and his or her acceptance as a Fellow of the College must be approved by three-fourths of its Board of Regents.