Visiting Professorships

Advancing Excellence, Diversity, and Representation in Surgery

The Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) and the AWS Foundation (AWSF) are proud to offer a variety of Visiting Professorship programs in partnership with leading organizations. These initiatives support AWSF's mission to advance women’s careers in surgery and address gender disparities worldwide. Visiting Professorships enable surgeons to share their expertise, inspire the next generation, and promote diversity within the field of surgery. Through grand rounds, lectures, and meaningful interactions at host institutions, these professorships align with the AWS mission to inspire, encourage, and enable women surgeons to achieve their professional and personal goals.

AWSF Kim Ephgrave Visiting Professor Program

The AWSF Kim Ephgrave Visiting Professor Program provides an established surgeon the opportunity to be a positive role model for women in surgery. Apply today to share your professional and personal experiences with department chairs, faculty, residents, and students at a select host institution through grand rounds, walk rounds, lectures, research presentations and more.

Announcing the 2026 Visiting Professor - Dr. Gayle DiLalla

Dr. DiLalla is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Duke University.  She currently serves as Duke Department of Surgery Vice-Chair of Opportunity and Engagement. She is a member of the Duke Cancer Institute, where she cares for patients with breast cancer and high-risk breast lesions.  She is the Chief of Breast Surgery Clinical Operations for Wake County.  She has served at the Chair of the AWS Member Services Committee and member of the AWS Council. She is a graduate of the AWS Shining Star Leadership Coaching, and is a current member of the AWSF Board. She obtained a Strategic Diversity Leadership Certificate from Cornell University in 2023.  She is a graduate of the University of Missouri -Kansas City 6 year BA/MD program and obtained her residency training in surgery at the University of Florida -Jacksonville.

Dr. DiLalla provides lectures in the following topic areas:

• Career Progression in Surgery: Examining Opportunity, Mentorship, and Advancement
• Professionalism in Surgery and the value of a Cultural Complications Curriculum
• Women Surgeons – Advancements, Opportunities, and Why Engagement Matters
• De-Escalation of Low-Value Care in Breast Surgery

To be considered for the 2026 Host Institution, please complete the following application.

Host Site Application

Support this Program

Collaborative Visiting Professor Programs

AWS is thrilled to partner with leading surgical organizations to present annual Visiting Professor Programs. 

• Latino Surgical Society and AWS Visiting Professorship

  The Latino Surgical Society (LSS) and the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) are pleased to announce the co-sponsored 2025 visiting professorship. The program will heighten the visibility of all surgeons and provide the invited speaker with the opportunity to be a positive role model for medical students and trainees. Active members of the LSS and AWS who are faculty members at the Assistant or Associate Professor level and are within the first 10 years of their faculty appointment are encouraged to apply. 
  
  Stay tuned for announcements regarding the 2025-2026 SBAS & AWS Visiting Professor and Host Site.
  
  View information about the 2024 LSS/AWS Visiting Professorship here.

• Association of Out Surgeons and Allies and AWS Visiting Professorship

  AWS and the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies (AOSA) are thrilled to announce a new co-sponsored annual visiting professorship designed to elevate the visibility of LGBTQ+ and women surgeons and support professional development. The selected Visiting Professor is Aeryn Kangas-Dick, MD, who provides lectures on the following topics: the expanding role of surgery in locally advanced and metastatic cancer; creating inclusive teaching environments for LGBTQIA trainees; the complexities of managing gastroesophageal junction cancers; and neoadjuvant approaches to cancer surgery.
  
  
  

2025 Host Site:

• Society of Black Academic Surgeons and AWS Visiting Professorship: 
  

  The SBAS & AWS Visiting Professorship provides active SBAS and AWS members who are faculty members at the rank of Associate Professor and within 15 years of their faculty appointment the opportunity to serve as a visiting professor for the department of surgery at a host institution. The 2024 SBAS & AWS Visiting Professor is Dr. Christa Grant, who will be hosted by Wake Forest.
  
  Stay tuned for announcements regarding the 2025-2026 SBAS & AWS Visiting Professor and Host Site.

• Society of Asian Academic Surgeons and AWS Visiting Professorship:

  The SAAS & AWS Visiting Professorship is open to SAAS members within the first 10 years of their faculty appointment. The program increases the national visibility of rising stars in academic surgery. The 2024 SAAS & AWS Visiting Professor is Annabelle Fonseca MD of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was hosted by Dr. Allan Tsung at the University of Virginia.
  
  Stay tuned for details on the next SAAS-AWS visiting professorship.