From its inception, the mission of the Society has been to promote the highest standards of practice among the relatively small number of certified thoracic surgeons in the state. An important adjunct of the primary mission was to bring together all of the certified thoracic surgeons on a statewide basis to form a cohesive group and single voice to face the rapidly changing socio-economic issues of the times.
The Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (MSTCVS) began life as the Michigan Society of Thoracic Surgeons (MSTS) in 1965, an era that saw the establishment of many national, regional and state specialty societies. General medical associations, the American Medical Association and many state and county societies had been in existence since the nineteenth century and from the beginning of the era of specialty societies, there had frequently been a relationship to the older general medical groups. Indeed, the first meeting of the MSTS in Detroit on September 21, 1965 was held in conjunction with and on the occasion of the centennial meeting of the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS). The meeting was attended by 17 of the 60 board certified thoracic surgeons in Michigan at the time. The Constitution and Bylaws of the Society were written by Dr. Raymond Barrett, the first Secretary-Treasurer, and accepted by the membership. Dr. Cameron Haight was the first President.
The original intent of the MSTS was to hold an annual meeting in association with the annual meeting of the MSMS and this was the case for the first 14 years. In the meantime, the Michigan Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (MCACS) attracted the attention of several state surgical specialty societies who considered it appropriate to meet in conjunction with the annual meeting of the umbrella surgical group in the state. This arrangement functioned from 1979 until 1986, when the first meeting of the MSTS took place without an affiliated group. A decision was made at that time to hold every annual meeting in the summer and generally in northern Michigan, away from the hustle and bustle of the major population areas in southern Michigan and the problem of members being called away from the meeting by their offices.
From the beginning, the annual meeting featured outstanding guest speakers including some of the most prominent thoracic surgeons in the nation and the world. In 1970, an added feature to the scientific program was the presentations by MSTS members and this has been utilized variably in various formats. Another feature was added in 1991, when a keynote speaker for the meeting was designated to honor a member of the Society distinguished in the specialty and in service to the Society. This lecture is generally given as a concluding event of the program. A resident competition was added to the program in 1992, providing a format for residents in thoracic surgery, general surgery, peripheral vascular surgery and pediatric surgery to compete for awards. The competition was in abeyance for several years but then resumed as a highly important feature of the Society’s annual program. In recent years, there has usually been an interesting and entertaining speaker, usually a surgeon of national renown, selected as the “Luncheon Speaker.”
As cardiovascular surgery had for a few decades assumed an increasingly prominent role in thoracic surgery, the council and membership considered it appropriate to reflect this in the name of the organization, although the new name would be slightly longer and more cumbersome. The Bylaws were revised in 1988 changing the name of the organization from the MSTS to the MSTCVS.
The Society, with well over 100 members currently, was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1992. This necessitated another revision of the Bylaws, approved by the membership at the annual meeting held on August 8, 1992 on Drummond Island.
A major recent endeavor of the Society is the Quality Assurance initiative that has taken solid form. Please see the article on the Society’s 50th anniversary below. This historic move reflects the commitment to quality that this Society has made to our patients and the State of Michigan. The intent of the program is to see that nothing less than the very best care possible in the sphere of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery is provided to every person in Michigan.
The summer sessions held in northern Michigan are programs of national quality, and have added considerably to the annual meetings, which have become family affairs with spouses and children present, enjoying northern Michigan in the summer and attending an evening family dinner. Members of the Society get to know one another and their families during this congenial get-together. The mission of the Society is fulfilled while providing a substantial number of category 1 CME credits for a first-rate program in a casual and comfortable setting.