NPSA History
The North Pacific Surgical Association was organized in 1912. The first meeting for the purpose of organization was held in Portland on March 6, 1912, and the second meeting at which organization was completed, was held in Seattle on May 12 of the same year. Since then, NPSA has held an annual scientific meeting nearly every year, rotating between different cities in the Pacific Northwest.
NPSA Council
The NPSA’s council members are dedicated surgeons from the Pacific Northwest on the US and Canada. NPSA’s council members represent the caucus regions as described in the bylaws.
The office of President rotates through these caucus regions at the time when the annual meeting is in that area. To view the NPSA council, click HERE.
NPSA Constitution/Bylaws
In order to provide transparency of our organization. We provided access to our constitution and bylaws.
Download Bylaws: Bylaws and Constitution REV Nov 2020 Official.pdf
Scientific Contributions, American Journal of Surgery
NPSA annually submits scientific abstracts to the American Journal of Surgery. Through a robust process managed by our recorder, abstracts are selected and authors present them at the NPSA annual meeting held in November. During the presentations a volunteer member of NPSA serves as a discussant. Other NPSA members offer peer review of manuscripts.
Kenneth A.J. Mackenzie Founders Award
Awarded to members who have made significant contributions to the North Pacific Surgical Association.
2011 Dr. John K. MacFarlane, Vancouver, BC
2011 Dr. R. Mark Vetto, Portland, OR
2013 Dr. Conrad Rusnak, Victoria, BC
2014 Dr. Michael J. Hart, Seattle, WA
2014 Dr. John A. Ryan Jr., Seattle, WA
2015 Dr. Clifford W. Deveney, Portland, OR
2015 Dr. James J. Peck, Portland, OR
2016 Dr. Preston L. Carter, Tacoma, WA
2017 Dr. Nis Schmidt, Vancouver, BC
2018 Dr. Gregory K. Luna, Spokane, WA
2019 Dr. James C. Donald, Victoria, BC
2020 Dr. Robert S. Sawin, Seattle, WA
2021 Dr. Karen L. Kwong, Portland, OR
2022 Dr. Matthew Martin, San Diego CA (Tacoma Caucus)
2023 Dr. O Neely M. Panton, Vancouver, BC
Dr. Kenneth AJ MacKenzie
NPSA has a New Logo!
In 2021, Dr Nathalie Johnson, NPSA president launched an effort to revitalize the NPSA logo. During the year many designs were sent in by our members. Through a process of council selection and votes by the NPSA membership a logo design was chosen. This was truly a member-driven effort. Ultimately, a design from Dr. Ken Gow was chosen.
We will keep our traditional logo for historical purposes and won’t lose sight of the fact that NPSA is the oldest surgical association west of the Mississippi.
Look closely and you will see an N and P for North Pacific. Notice the two mountains which represent the two countries joined in our association, the U.S. and Canada. The sun and the moon remind us that we care four our patients 24/7. The waves represent the ocean but are formed to look like suture needles with 6 peaks which represent the 6 cities that our meeting rotates through (Vancouver BC, Victoria BC, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Boise, Spokane) and 5 waves representing the 5 states and provinces of our association (Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington).
