Clinical and Health Services Research Committee Self Nomination for Sara Sakowitz

As a fourth year medical student at UCLA who hopes to pursue a career in academic surgery, I would be honored to serve on an AAS Committee. The AAS has been a wonderful community for me since my first few months of medical school, and I would love to now contribute to programs, events, and experiences in research and education for members and trainees.

I believe my diverse background and experiences would translate well to serving on the AAS team. I am passionate about the intersection of academic surgery and public health, and have devoted considerable time to research focusing on disparities in access to, and outcomes following, care, particularly among disadvantaged communities. Through this, I have published 70+ peer reviewed articles and presented my work on podiums across the country.

Meanwhile, I am also dedicated to making academic surgery more inclusive. I currently serve on the American Journal of Surgery Student and Resident Scholar Committee, which aims to make scientific research less intimidating and more accessible to trainees across the US. Further, through my work with the Women in Thoracic Surgery National Committee and the AAS National Medical Student Task Force, I have collaborated on efforts to organize national conferences, host online programming, and teach students the basics of writing abstracts and giving presentations.

Altogether, I would love to bring my personal experiences as a medical student and productive health services researcher, my varied experiences in teaching, mentorship, and leadership, and my enthusiasm for academic surgery, to the AAS.

3

2021, 2022, 2023