Educational Programs
Education and Professional Development
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Cardiothoracic Professional Development Opportunities
The Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (MSTCVS) and the MSTCVS Quality Collaborative (MSTCVS-QC) offer a range of programs to help surgeons, care teams, and hospitals collaborate on quality improvement efforts.
Leveraging a clinical outcomes registry, these programs support meaningful advances in patient care.
Members have access to various learning opportunities, including quarterly Quality Collaborative meetings, annual conferences, and scholarships to attend state and national events. The Quality Collaborative also connects members with national and international resources to share best practices in quality care.
By participating in these educational programs, members stay up to date with the latest advances in cardiothoracic surgery and play an active role in driving positive change across the specialty.
Explore Professional Development Opportunities
The Richard L. Prager Scholarship
Submission deadline: April 1, 2026
The Richard L. Prager Scholarship was established to honor Dr. Prager’s extraordinary leadership in cardiothoracic surgery and his vision for advancing surgical quality through collaboration. As founding chair of the MSTCVS Quality Collaborative (MSTCVS-QC), he led the initiative from its launch in 2001 through 2022.
Resident Research Competition
Submission deadline: April 8, 2026
Established in 1992, the MSTCVS Resident Research Competition provides a platform for surgical trainees to present research in adult cardiac surgery, general thoracic surgery, education, and critical care. Supported by the Midland-MSTCVS Educational and Quality Fund, this program covers lodging, registration, and travel expenses for up to four residents selected annually through a national call for abstracts.
EACTS Francis Fontan Quality and Outcomes Fellowship
Submission deadline: July 1, 2026
Offered through a collaboration between the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) and the Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative (MSTCVS-QC), this fellowship provides a four-month immersive experience in Ann Arbor focused on quality improvement and clinical outcomes in cardiothoracic surgery.
The Bell-Latham Memorial Fund and Scholarship
Submission deadline: July 2026
The Bell-Latham Memorial Fund honors the legacy of Gail Bell and Dorothy Latham, both dedicated advocates for data managers and quality improvement in cardiothoracic surgery. Gail Bell, who passed away in 2017, was one of the two original coordinating center staff members of the MSTCVS Quality Collaborative.